The Midnight Two: Skybound (V4)
by Sapphireloid
Summary: Luck has finally struck the team, resulting in a huge rise in popularity of the Ninja. Their faces are everywhere, and are known as celebrities in Ninjago. But when an evil Djinn Nadakhan is freed and inequality & hate runs through the team, popularity truly does come at a price. Will the Ninja stop Nadakhan? Or will Ninjago become Djinjago?
1. Chapter 1

The sun shined brightly in the sky, warming the City and it's sidewalks with an unusually warm April day. I fanned myself, the black parts of my new Airjitzu gi attracting most of the heat. God, I regret wearing my scarf today.

"You need a fan or something?" I heard Lilly ask as we walked down the sidewalk with Nya, Cass and Sammie. We were on the way to the studio to meet the rest of our team and wait for Hunter and Nathan to return from their trip to their old village. We all have changed so much this past year. I'm nineteen now, and I grew an inch. **ONLY AN INCH.** As disappointed as I am, no one can call me a kid anymore. I'm officially 5ft now, four inches shorter than Jay.

Though, our huge increase in popularity is the biggest influence on our changes, and the constant problems we've been facing since our rise in popularity. Kai actually learned how to use a touch phone just so he could post a selfie every hour ("It appeals to my fans." he claims). Zane tends to hate going outside now because of the constant stalking by some of their fans. Nya is constantly bombarded with questions regarding whether she's going to choose Jay or Cole despite being in a relationship with someone else already. Hunter almost got his arm broken by a fan when he was tackled by her. Etc. There's **LOTS** of problems we've had since becoming celebrities.

"No, I'm just stressing about whether we're going to have hide the guys again when going home," I answered, lying slightly. Lilly nodded.

"Yeah. They figured out their hiding spot last time," she shivered, possibly recalling the memory. I'd tell about it, but it's so crazy, you would have thought I was on weed or something.

"So, Nya, how are you and Ashley doing?" Lilly asked, turning to master of water. She smiled.

"We're going great," she answered cheerfully.

"No problems? I thought the constant questions about Jay and Cole might have kinda affected your relationship."

Nya shook her head. "Nope."

"That's good," Lilly smiled. Nya nodded.

"So, how about you and my brother? I know you get a lot of fan hate because you're with him," the master of water asked. Lilly shrugged, blushing.

"We're fine as usual. The hate mail is usually just a bunch of people with free time calling me a few less than desirable names. Y'know, the usual fate someone dating a famous attractive guy has," she answered. I felt really sorry for her. Any fan mail directed towards her or Nya tends to be anonymous hate mail. Most likely they're with one of the guys. Just another reason why I've kept Lloyd and I's relationship a secret from the public. It's kinda sad though. These two being sent hate mail for loving who they fell in love with and me having to keep my relationship a secret just so I can avoid the same fate. I feel so sorry for anyone who has the same fate as them. I decided I would change the subject though, spitting out the first thought that came to my tongue.

"I really feel sorry for you Lilly, but," I started, "I don't really get why you keep blushing whenever Kai is mentioned. I mean, come on, you guys sleep in the same bed sometimes. I thought you'd be over this."

Lilly's face became red as the other girls giggled. "What else do you know exactly?"

I smirked. "Let's see...you sing really loudly when you think you're alone. You _really_ like that one show with the minor god and the boy who can turn into a sword...and you have a thing for gals and guys who act all self-centered but are actually huge dorks." If Lilly's face wasn't a dark crimson, it surely was now. I don't know why she'd be ashamed of the singing one though. Her voice is really great! Could it just be nerves? Who knows.

"I didn't mean for you to tell all of that out loud!" Lilly exclaimed as Nya giggled. To which I turned to her.

"Oh, don't even get me started on you, Nya!" I exclaimed, smiling. Her smile faded and her shiny brown eyes grew wide.

"Oh god, you know _the thing_...don't you?" she asked. I nodded slowly, grinning as though I were an evil mastermind with the superhero's kryptonite. Ah, the perks of chatting with Zane and sticking around the Bounty when people think no one is home. You get some great entertainment out of that.

Just then, we heard two people running up behind us. Just as we turned around, I saw Hunter skid to a stop as Nathan accidentally ran into Sammie, knocking her over.

"Oh man, there you guys are," he panted, "I was worried that Nathan got us lost."

"Hey! I can't help it that the guide droid gave us the wrong directions!" he snapped, before realizing that he was on top of Sammie. His face immediately became a deep crimson and he stammered as Sammie stared up at him.

"Um...Nathan...could you get off of me please?" Sammie asked, her cheeks becoming pink.

"O-Of course! J...just give me a minute...I mean I'll do it now! S-Sorry!" he stuttered as he got off of her. Sammie smiled and got up, brushing herself off and saying a polite "Thank you."

"So, how'd you guys' visit to the village go?" Cass asked as all of us continued walking to the studio. Hunter shrugged.

"He only went because he wanted to flirt with the tea shop girl," Nathan informed us all.

"Hey, she's really nice, okay? At least I don't sit around going 'notice me' every time she passes by," Hunter retorted, to which Nathan blushed.

"I don't do that!" he claimed. We all knew he was lying.

"Whatever you say, Nate," Nya laughed as we approached the studio doors. Once we entered and checked in, we walked through the hall leading to the studio where the rest of our teammates were.

"I wonder when we're gonna learn Airjitzu though. Sensei's really been putting it off," Cass said. Nya nodded.

"I recall Lloyd saying that Sensei Wu's been sick lately," I informed them. He said that Sensei was beginning to get sick from the tea that kept him alive and allowed him to live for as long as he has. It's quite unfortunate. Though, I hope it doesn't kill Sensei. There's still so much more I want to learn.

"Well, if Sensei or the guys don't teach you all, then Karma and I will. We could even start teaching you guys when we get back to the Bounty," Lilly offered, to which I nodded in agreement. I'd love to teach them!

They all smiled. "I'd love that," Sammie agreed, to which the others nodded. Then it's settled. We'll begin teaching them when we get home. Oh, I can't wait to be a teacher!

Nya opened the door to the studio then, entering on Dareth shouting "And that's a wrap!" I couldn't see where the Ninja were, but they were starting to take the cameras down. Wait! That's the final shot!?

"A wrap!? But we just got here!" Nya exclaimed, sounding disappointed. The rest of us joined her, all of us disappointed.

"Oh, hey you guys! You gals are just in time to teach some of the girls how to apply makeup!" Dareth approached us, smiling like a complete idiot. I narrowed my eyes. How to apply makeup!? Sure, I'd teach that, but I feel we should be teaching something more worthwhile! Like, study for school or respect your peers (unless they're festering piles of dog crap). Not applying makeup!

Nya scoffed. "Makeup!? You're gonna need makeup when I rearrange your face!" she shouted as Sammie and I tried to restrain her. I watched Cole and Hunter run over to restrain Cass, who was swinging at Dareth furiously. Gosh, and I thought Dareth was actually a cool guy! I guess it could just be money driving his actions though...

"Dareth, it's not really fair to not include the girls...and the guys. They're a part of our team now. They deserve to be in the spotlight just as much as we do," Lloyd approached him, placing his hands on his hips. My heartbeat sped up at the sound of his voice, making me smile. Gosh, even after a year I still have this. Is this normal?

"But you guys are an all-boy thing! A boyband! Having girls in it ruins the image," Dareth complained.

"Um, Nathan and I are here too, yet you didn't include us," Hunter spoke up, crossing his arms.

"You guys aren't as popular as them though, or attractive in my opinion," Dareth said. Hunter gave an offended look, his eyes widening.

"Excuse me!?" both of the brothers said in unison.

"I can assure you I'm far more handsome than that walking porcupine over there!" Hunter exclaimed, pointing at Kai. The master of fire looked offended.

"You wanna go, shortstack!?" he shouted back, stomping over to the orange ninja.

"Shortstack!? I'm taller than you!"

"You're probably wearing heels!"

"Am not!"

"Suuuure!"

"You're the one that wears heels, sea urchin!"

"Excuse me!?"

"Will you both SHUT UP!?" Nya shouted in frustration, quieting the both of them. Hunter and Kai shot glares at each other before looking back at Dareth. Lilly walked over to chubby man, sighing.

"Where's the real Dareth?" she questioned. Dareth raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"I said where's the real Dareth? The Dareth I know wouldn't be all jerky like this. What happened, man?"

"Nothing happened. I'm still me," Dareth claimed, moving her aside.

"Doesn't seem like it. The money must be rotting your brain," she crossed her arms, glaring. The chubby man sighed.

"Anyway, as I was saying, you guys are irresistible! Having more girls on the team would ruin that image," he argued.

"Eh, the irresistibility is debatable," Kai smirked as he heard the collective squeals of fangirls behind him. They all stood in a fenced-off doorway, before the doors shut, hiding us all from view. Kai then put his hand around Lilly's waist, pulling her closer. "But I agree, they shouldn't be alienated."

Dareth paused for a moment, then sighed, leaning on both Jay and Zane's shoulders. "Listen, I don't tell you guys how to do your business, don't tell me how to do mine," he sounded impatient, before smiling again, "Remember when you guys saved Ninjago and no one cared!? Well now everyone cares and loves it! Keep doing what you're doing and people will keep loving you!" The chubby man pulled a rolled up teen's magazine from his pocket and handed it to Lloyd, who looked at it in confusion.

" 'Sensei Lloyd'? But I'm only training to become one right now!" he said, looking at Dareth. The chubby man shrugged.

"Who cares? It gets you more fans," he smiled as the green ninja looked at it with concern. He passed it to Cole, who gave a disgusted look at a page.

"Honestly, why do you keep writing about a supposed 'love triangle' going on between Jay, Nya, and I? It's been over! Might I add that Nya has a girlfriend now!?" he complained, glaring at the chubby man. Dareth shrugged.

"Hey, the media loves drama!" he defended himself as Cole passed it to Lilly. She took one look at the inside of the magazine and made a disgusted look.

"Well, they sure 'love' some of us," she sighed, glaring at the page. Kai looked at the page.

"Okay, first off, whoever is saying that about my sister is dead," he growled as his free hand burst into flames. He quickly extinguished it though. "...and that isn't true. That person's just a loser," he said in a much softer voice, kissing her on the head. Lilly sighed again, passing the magazine to Sammie.

"Well, look on the bright side, we more popular than-" the master of light began to say before her voice cut off abruptly. Her eyes were focused on a part of the page and her expression revealed hints of shock and sadness. Cole immediately became concerned.

"Sammie, is everything okay?" he questioned, levitating over to her. She instantly threw the magazine onto the floor, huffing, then smiling nervously.

"Ugh, what terrible people, am I right? They need better things to do in life," her voice shook, despite sounding confident, "Eh...now...if you excuse me...I'll be in the ladies room..."

She walked away quickly, leaving us all with bewildered looks. Her brother slowly levitated over to the magazine and picked it up, looking at the article. He then crumpled it up, throwing it to the floor.

"I really oughta bash those writers heads in," he sighed, brushing his floating, fluffy hair from his face.

"What'd she read?" Nathan asked, just as concerned as Cole. The ghostly ninja turned towards him.

"The stupid article was comparing her to all of us, saying that she's the weakest out of us all. What a load of B. S! She's just as strong as all of us! What do they know anyway!?" he informed us all. I really felt sorry for her, though I didn't know what the article fully said. The hate imposed on a few of our teammates affects us all, but it hurts them even more.

"Should I-?" Nathan began to ask, but Cole held up a hand.

"No, Nathan, you don't need to comfort her. I'll handle this when she decides to come out of the girl's bathroom," the ghostly ninja said, casting a concerned glance towards the bathrooms. I really hope it hasn't hurt Sammie too much...


	2. Chapter 2

"Almost...there!" Nya shouted as she tried to grab the flag at the highest point on the Bounty. Her fingertips were only inches away, before gravity pulled her down. The master of water fell through the air for a few seconds before Lilly caught her.

"You almost got it. Maybe if we just keep practicing a little more you might actually reach it," the blonde smiled, holding Nya for a few seconds before putting her down. I swore I saw Jay glaring at Lilly in jealousy from across the Bounty's deck. I guess he's still into Nya. I hope he notices that Zane just made a sneaky move on him in chess while we wasn't looking though.

"I think I might take a break from this. I need to kinda cool off," Nya said. Lilly raised an eyebrow.

"It's not really that hot out here, Nya," she informed her.

"I know. That's not the case. I'm still ticked at Dareth and those stupid talk show hosts!" the master of water kicked a nearby broom, accidentally kicking it off the deck. She paid no mind to it though. I couldn't blame her for still being mad though. Even though she blatantly stated she was a lesbian and not interested in either guy, the talk show host still questioned her on if she would choose: Jay or Cole. I found it a bit disrespectful if you ask me. Not to mention the makeup incident with Dareth. Didn't he know how to apply makeup himself anyway!? Besides, if I'm gonna teach this kind of thing, I don't want to teach it to just girls. I want to teach it to boys too. I believe boys should have the right to look just as elegant with cosmetics as girls do.

"Honestly, they're idjits," Cass commented, crossing her arms. I nodded.

"Yeah. Why aren't we treated like the others?" I asked. Lilly sighed.

"It's because most women in the media have to be in some kind of love triangle or damsels in distress. If they fight like us they have to be sexy and wear as less clothes as possible. There's no way I'm doing that. There's literally no protection or armor to save your organs from being stabbed," she answered, "The media doesn't like how we look anyway. They claim that Nya's too chubby, I'm too muscular, you look too much like a boy, they don't like Cass's hair, and claim that Sammie looks too bland. What a load of B. S."

I look too much like a boy!? Well, I'm sorry, but I can't help it that my body grows in a much different way than everyone else's! Oh wait, EVERYONE'S BODY GROWS IN DIFFERENT WAYS THAN EVERYONE ELSE'S! Ugh, I can now see why Lilly hates watching most TV shows...yet she still likes that minor god show.

"Gosh, if they want us to look sexy, then wait until my sick days! I'll definitely be 'sexy' then!" Lilly exclaimed. The three of us all laughed.

"They just can't handle how awesome we are anyway," Cass grinned confidently, to which we all nodded.

"Agreed," I smiled. Cass then gave a concerned expression, looking around.

"Um, where's Sammie at?" she asked. The three of us shrugged.

"I'm sure she's with her brother or something. Cole did say he was going to talk to her once he got the chance," Nya responded.

"Yeah, but Sensei called Cole into his room once we got back. Maybe she's in her room or something?" Lilly said. Nya shrugged.

"Either one could be it," she responded. Just then, Cole levitated over next to me.

"Hey, Karma, Sensei needs you. I don't really know why," he notified me. I raised an eyebrow. What does he need to tell me? More importantly, Sensei always plans his meetings with all of us. I don't recall this one being planned. It must be urgent.

"Hey, Cole, have you seen Sammie?" Cass asked, to which the master of earth shook his head.

"No. I last saw her when we boarded the bounty. She's probably hiding in her room or something...I don't know," he told us, scratching his head, "Nathan's probably already checked in on her anyway. The poor kid's always worried about her."

I nodded. That sounds like Nathan alright. I then got up, stretching my arms.

"Well, I'll go see what Sensei needs, then. I'll see you guys later then," I waved before walking down the hallway by where we all were hanging out. I walked down to the final door at the end of the hallway and entered, greeted by the scent of Sensei's favorite incense. The old man sat cross-legged on the floor, looking as though he were meditating. I waited until he looked up and acknowledged me before speaking.

"Hello Sensei, you needed me?" I said as I shut the door. The old man nodded.

"Please, sit down," he told me. I went ahead and sat across from him, cross-legged as well. Despite not seeing him as often, I didn't notice many changes about him. He was getting more wrinkles and dark circles were appearing under his eyes, but he didn't look as sick as Lloyd said he was. Looks can be deceiving though.

"Do you recall the day you and your brothers & sisters fought the master of psionics and his inventions? The day Lin, your mother, died?" Sensei Wu asked, his conical hat now hiding his eyes. I winced at the memory, remembering every blade tip that was sticking out of her body. The words that she said...

I clenched my fists. _No, don't do this to yourself_. I forced the memory out of my current thoughts and looked at Sensei.

"Yes, I do," I answered. The old man paused and took a sip from his tea cup.

"Sammie told me you had an overload of your powers while confronting the master of psionics. Is this true?" he questioned. I nodded, beginning to feel slightly nervous. _Am I in trouble?_

"Judging by her description of it, I do not believe this was an overload," he said. I raised an eyebrow.

"But how do you know?" I questioned.

"Your mother had one before when she was younger. Yours would have been identical to hers," the old man told me, taking another sip of his tea.

"I don't understand," I said. Sensei sighed.

"If Morro's mother and Morro had the exact same overload, Cassidy and Hunter should have the exact same as his," he explained. He paused to take another sip of tea, then looked up at me, his expression serious. "So, Seiko, what I'm asking is...have you been using the Dark Arts lately?"

I froze, my brain in panic mode. Crap, I really did screw up, didn't I!? Sensei had told me before that the Dark Arts were forbidden and evil, yet I masked them with my powers. They were much more useful than my powers though! They extended my abilities!

"I..." I had started to prepare a lie, but seeing how serious the old man was, I knew he'd see right through me. It's just best to be honest. "...yes."

The old man gave a disappointed sigh. "Seiko, I know your family has a history in being involved with the Dark Arts, but this does not mean you should follow their path."

"I know, but it makes me so much more powerful. I've really helped the team out a lot with the Dark Arts!" I argued. Sensei Wu set his tea cup down.

"You do not understand how bad this magic is, Seiko. It can take over your mind. Give you hallucinations. Drive you to do things you never desire to do. It takes all your anger and sadness and uses it as a weapon," he told me. I didn't believe him.

"Okay, if this is true, then why didn't it happen to my uncle!?" I asked Sensei. He sighed.

"Because, he is one of the lucky few who can fight it and keep himself sane. Others cannot," the old man answered. I still didn't believe him. It just seemed too farfetched. What kind of magic takes over your state of mind anyway!?

"I'm sorry Sensei, but I still don't believe it," I said. The old man looked down at his legs. He was silent for a long time.

"You may go. We are finished here," Sensei Wu said, pouring himself another cup of tea. I nodded, getting up and exiting the room. Though, as I walked to my room, a thought appeared in my mind. Lilly and Kai had to restrain me from Alex in that fight last year, and anger had taken over my state of mind then. Could that have possibly been the Dark Arts? I shook my head. _No, what Sensei was saying is way too farfetched. You're just starting to believe the lies..._

I opened my door and entered, sighing at the familiar sight of my mother's chestplate sitting on it's holder. I took it when my father sold off Li Zhao in July of last year. He couldn't take care of or run the shop anymore, so he sold it to one of our neighbors and moved all our stuff (plus himself) to my uncle Bruce's house in Jamanikai Village. My father let me keep my mom's chestplate with me though, insisting that I wear it in battle and keep it remember my mother by. I picked it up off its stand, admiring the metallic hawk symbol that shined in the sunlight that came through my window. My thumbs brushed over the scratches and dents at the bottom of it, giving a grim reminder of my mother's sacrifice. The memory still stung like a open wound. A wound that hasn't closed for a long time.

I went over to my bed and laid down, still holding the chestplate as I looked up at the ceiling. Would my mother approve of what I've done? I know Dark Arts is forbidden...but there must be some kind of exception. Especially if I'm using it for the greater good. I think she would find it okay. She was okay with uncle Clouse anyway...

I heard a quiet knock on my door before Cole's head phased through the door. I honestly forgot he could do that.

"Hey, Karma. We're at the hospital now," he notified me. I sighed.

"Is it for that Make-A-Wish kid?" I asked. The ghostly ninja nodded.

"It's the second to last thing we're doing today. I'll catch you up on the last thing as we get off the ship," he told me. I nodded and got up, putting the chestplate on under my gi and hiding it with my scarf. _Might as well use this as a good luck charm too._

As we walked off the Bounty, Cole caught me up on our last but sudden errand. Evidently we have to go to Stiix to retrieve some sort of artifact before someone else does. I don't know if I can stand returning to Stiix though. After learning about what actually happened to Myung after I saw her the night The Preeminent was released...I just can't...

"I guess I should tell you who we're trying to keep this artifact from," Cole said as he opened the doors to the hospital. I looked at him, waiting for the reveal. Why is he reluctant to tell me?

"Karma...your uncle isn't dead. He's the one we're trying to beat to the artifact," the revelation froze me in place, leaving me wide-eyed. Uncle Clouse...is alive!? How!? I was told he was killed while the Ninja were at Chen's Island! Could he perhaps be a ghost?

"Is he really?" I questioned, feeling bits of disbelief. It can't be. Cole nodded.

"Yes. I'd show you the actual footage of him that was found, but we gotta catch up with the others. Don't wanna disappoint the little kid, right?" he said. I nodded, despite being extremely curious about my uncle. What's he getting himself into this time? Does he know that Mom's gone? What is he going after?

"In honor of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, we dub thee an honorary ninja for the day!" Lloyd smiled cheerily, tying a headband around the kid's head. The poor child was wheelchair-bound, his legs left paralyzed from a recent car accident, but it didn't stop him from smiling. His makeshift gi (that looked similar to Cass's) and his cast, which was covered with various names and tiny ninja doodles brought a smile to my face, warming my heart in a sense. It made me happy to see that we've made this kind of impact on a kid's life. He keeps going because we keep going. We're like...role models to him. Though, it stressed me out. Just one wrong move by us and we could crush this kid's view of us forever. In fact, that's how it was for most of our fans. One mess up and our image will be ruined forever. How can celebrities deal with this!?

"Are you alright? You look a little worried," Lloyd's voice startled me, snapping me out of my thoughts. He looked concerned. He's been this way ever since my mother died, asking me if I'm alright every time I looked worried, nervous, sad, or angry. Is that normal? I mean, I guess I was kind of the same way when he looked this way. I nodded.

"Yeah. Just a random thought intruded my mind," I smiled, showing that I was okay. Lloyd's concerned expression lasted for a few seconds before a smiled formed.

"Okay, I just wanted to make sure you were alright," he said, giving my hand a tiny squeeze before walking back over to the boy. I sighed, trying to slow my speeding heartbeat. Gosh, I guess I should have shut up when talking to Lilly today, because I'm the exact same way. Even after a year with him I still can't slow my heartbeat when around him. Is this normal too?

"Uh guys, I think we have some company," Cole informed us all, catching our attention as he inched away from the window. Jay walked over and peeked out the window, immediately being greeted by the screeches and squeals that I believed to be from fans. Jay immediately recoiled from the window, looking at Cole.

"How did they find us here!?" he asked, looking back at the window with a frightened expression. It was then that we heard tapping and someone say "At the hospital. My hair is siiiiick!"

Our heads all immediately turned to look at Kai, who was running a hand through his hair while tapping on his phone. Of course...what did I freakin' expect. There's no way anyone else would screw up like this.

"Kai! Are you serious!?" Lilly exclaimed, catching his attention. He blinked as though he didn't know what was going on.

"You gave away our location!?" Nya questioned her brother, looking frustrated. He shrugged.

"Hey, my followers have needs too!" he replied. Lilly stomped up to him.

"The only thing your followers need is to know that I'm about to kick you into the sun," she grumbled, crossing her arms.

"Well, I said we could get to Stiix in time if we did not run into any big problems," Zane spoke up as he walked to the window, peeking outside. The sudden squeals made him move away from the window as fast as he could though, looking scared. "But this is a big problem!"

"Er...well...maybe Clouse ran into a problem too and maybe he won't get to the artifact in time!" Sammie said from behind me, startling me. She looked to be okay now.

"I hope you're right," Hunter said, peeking out the window. He lingered by it for a few seconds before sliding behind Cole.

"Well, we can't really fly outta here with these birds in the sky," Cole observed, noticing a couple helicopters flying over the hospital.

"God, they got here fast," Cass commented, staring out the window with wide eyes. Cole quickly grabbed her shoulders and moved her over his side.

"Kai already gave away our location, we don't need the exact room given away too," he began to move the curtain over the window, blocking out the sunlight and view of helicopters. Cass narrowed her eyes.

"But Zane and Jay walked in front of the window earlier. And besides, wouldn't moving a curtain over the window after showing a few of our faces be enough of a giveaway? They're probably already on their way up here," she said. The ghostly ninja froze.

"This is just like the zombie apocalypse, except instead of zombies it's...girls," Nathan stared at the half covered window with a frightened look, "I never thought I'd die by being mauled by teenage girls."

Cole took another peek out the window before his eyes widened, a scared look on his face.

"They're in..." he announced, shrinking away from the window. A determined look appeared on the little kids face as he adjusted himself in his wheelchair.

"You say I'm an honorary ninja for the day? Just call me the Purple Ninja Part Two!" he exclaimed, smiling at Cass. The kid then pulled his ninja mask over his head and spun his wheelchair around, rolling it towards the door at speeds I've never seen a wheelchair make before. He busted the door open and wheeled down the hall, all of us following him.

"That mask looks pretty authentic. Did you make it yourself?" I heard Nya ask the little boy as we ran down the hallway after him. I thought I could see him nod.

"You have a lot of time on your hands when you have to stay in bed for a month," he informed us as we turned a corner, avoiding an incoming mob of girls. The small Purple Ninja wheeled us into the stairway, barricading the door with his wheelchair as many bangs and knocks were heard from behind it.

"This is as far as I can go! All you guys need to do is take the door up those stairs! It's on your right! Good luck!" he shouted over the various noises from behind the door. Lloyd stepped forward though.

"Well Nelson...I mean, Purple Ninja, thanks," Lloyd smiled. I could tell just by Nelson's eyes that he was smiling too.

"No, _thank you!_ You made my wish come true," the boy's voice was cheery, despite our current situation. He gave a small wave before Lloyd rejoined us and we ran up the steps and out the door to the rooftop. I crossed my fingers and hoped that Nelson could hold them off without getting hurt. Those girls would trample anyone. They wouldn't even stop for a boy in a wheelchair.

Lilly, Hunter, Cass, Sammie, Nathan, and I all hid behind a billboard as our friends stayed down below. They didn't hear the oncoming sound of helicopters, but they would hear it eventually. We all quickly pulled on our masks, flattening our backs against the wall. Hopefully they'll hear it.

After a minute, the guys joined us, but Nya stayed below. She looked angry.

"Nya! You need to hide too!" Jay shouted over the whirr of a helicopter. The female master of water looked away from him. What exactly happened? Jay sighed then held out his hand "Ugh, just forget what I said! Take my hand!"

Nya turned back around, glaring at the dark blue ninja. "No, what did you mean when you said 'we'!? I'm a ninja and I'm nobody's girl!" I honestly didn't know what to think. I knew she was turning down Jay again, but was she also making a statement about how she's been treated?

"Just take his hand, Nya! Or else we'll be spotted!" Cole shouted, sounding panicked. The whirr of a helicopter was getting louder. I had to put in my input.

"Please, Nya! Just take someone's hand! We can settle all of this later!" I shouted over the whirr. She seemed unphased. Then, a helicopter flew overhead and I lost the hope that we could get out of here in time to stop my uncle.

Kai sighed. "Too late. They've already found us. So much for stopping Clouse..."

"Ugh, let's just hope he missed his train," Lloyd was audibly frustrated, and I guess I would be, too. I mean, if I had some sort of beef with someone on the team I'd address it when we're in a safe place. Not during an urgent time! Nya's a good person and all...but I think she's too stubborn sometimes.

"Wait...I have an idea," Sammie announced, turning to the rest of us, "You guys just have to close your eyes when I tell you to!"

"What's the idea exactly?" Kai questioned, but Sammie was already turned towards Nya.

"You have to close your eyes too!" she shouted to Nya, who hesitated before nodding. The yellow ninja then jumped off the billboard, running to the center of the rooftop.

"Close your eyes!" she turned to shout at us. I closed mine immediately and a few minutes passed before I could see a flash of light through my eyelids.

"Open them!" I heard Sammie shout a few seconds after. I opened my eyes to see the helicopters spinning out of control and Sammie standing below, a determined look in her eyes.

"Now, go and summon your dragons! I'll make sure they don't follow!" she commanded us. We all started moving off the billboard quickly, but Cole just levitated there.

"Sammie, don't you think that move is risky!? Those helicopters could crash!" her brother looked worried, but the master of light wasn't phased.

"They'll live. Just get going!" she commanded. Her brother complied and moved with the rest of us, jumping off the building and summoning our dragons. We started following Zane in the direction of Stiix as the hospital building began to grow smaller in my view. Then, one more flash of light erupted from the rooftop before Sammie joined us a few moments later, looking proud of herself.

"We should be okay now. They won't be following us," she told us before a loud boom was heard in the background. The master of light turned to look behind her before looking back at all of us, a nervous smile on her face. "They'll be okay..."

Our eyes lingered on her for a moment before turning back to Zane, who was leading us. His chrome plating shined in the sunlight, some of that light reflecting into my face. God, I hate the sun sometimes.

"We should reach Stiix in a few hours. You may want to cushion your mounts," the nindroid told us. Jay made a distressed noise.

"Why didn't you tell us this earlier!? Dang it, my butt's gonna hurt worse than that time I took a cinderblock to the ass!" the master of lightning exclaimed. Some of the guys snickered.

"Let's just focus on stopping Clouse, Jay," Zane said, concealing his own laughter. I felt excitement as we flew towards Stiix. I was happy that I was going to see my uncle, but I was scared because I was going to see my uncle.


	3. Chapter 3

Zane peeked around the corner of the alleyway as I pulled my sunhat over my bun. The hat Hunter had bought at the local shop was kind of big on me, but it would do. The hats and disguises he retrieved from the stores were kinda big on us all anyway, but we didn't really tell him our clothing sizes so, it's fair. At least I could hide the chestplate under my shirt. I hoped my scarf wouldn't give me away though, since I'm known for wearing a big, magenta scarf.

Our disguises made us look like tourists, which I think Stiix didn't have too many of, considering the looks we got. I can't believe the description of Stiix Myung gave me was the total opposite, though it may have changed after the attack of Morro and The Preeminent. Not all places in Ninjago are generally friendly anyway. Lilly's already told me enough about the villages in the Glacier Barrens. Though, I think she only speaks negatively about it because she's had a bad experience there, or that's at least my assumption.

"He's not here," Zane reported as he sank back into the alleyway, adjusting his hat. The feeling of excitement I had earlier was fading fast by both the time taken to find my uncle and our fruitless efforts to find him. Just where is my uncle hiding anyway? Has he already left Stiix?

"Well, Karma, do you have any idea where he might be? If you know anything at all about your uncle that is," Lloyd walked up to me. I shrugged. I never really got to know my uncle much, yet I had mixed feelings about him and I knew little. He might be somewhere with voodoo? I couldn't tell. He could have been into some weird crap anyway.

"I'm sorry, but I have no idea. I didn't get to know him as much," I was honest. Though, I kinda wish I knew more about my uncle, despite how gross he was. Maybe I could have learned how to control the Dark Arts in a better way.

I felt Lloyd's hand slip into mine, giving it a tiny, gentle squeeze. It was kind of the thing we used to hug each other in public without people suspecting our relationship to be more than platonic. Lloyd still used it whenever we were with our friends though, fearing he'd gross them out or something. "It's alright. We'll figure this out," he smiled, giving me a bit of hope. Yeah, we can still find Uncle Clouse. It's pretty easy to spot a man glowing like Cole anyway. I just hoped my uncle wasn't planning to do anything bad though.

"I dunno. Clouse could be long gone by now," Cole said, picking though a pile of wood with his sister.

"Hey! Look what I found!" Kai exclaimed, pulling a pile of what looked like sea urchins from beneath the wood, "It's a Kai action figure! Some fan probably lost it. There's no way anyone threw this out!"

I blinked, unsure if it was really an action figure of this idiot with anime hair or an actual sea urchin spray painted red. Both were of equal possibility. Lilly squinted at the figure Kai held in his hand, raising an eyebrow.

"It's hair is bigger than it's head," she informed him. The master of fire took a closer look at his figure, then shrugged.

"Well, I am most well know for my hair," he patted the figure's head, pulling his hand away from it quickly when one of the sharp spikes on it's head sunk into his palm. He then handed it to Lilly. "Here, I'm sure you'll want one of these."

The blonde looked at it like it was an object from a different country. "What would I need this for?" she questioned. Kai shrugged.

"Well, I dunno, maybe you get lonely sometimes and-" he began to talk, but Lilly interrupted him.

"This thing could literally stab me or something," she poked at the spikes in the figure's hair. Kai's eyes widened, then he snatched it away from her, looking a little panicked.

"Eh...on second thought, let me take that," he said nervously, keeping the figure to himself. Lilly blinked, confused, but then turned back to the woodpile. Ever since the night Kai's clone was killed, he's been this way around both his sister and Lilly. I don't know if it's for fear that one of them may be stabbed and it may actually be fatal this time, or that he has recurring memories of what happened to his parents and now protects those two, along with the rest of us. It's hard to tell. It could be just because Lilly's been injured a lot.

"Come on guys. Let's keep our eyes peeled," Lloyd said, calling their attention back to our objective. Hunter nodded.

"Yeah, I didn't buy these disguises for nothin'," he added. Nathan narrowed his eyes.

"You didn't buy it with your own money," he reminded his brother. Hunter shrugged.

"Still matters."

"Look! Another Kai doll," Jay snorted, looking at how deformed the one he found was. His expression quickly changed when he found piles of them laying nearby. Some being in mint condition. "There's dozens..."

Kai sighed. "I know I said that I'm trash but I never meant it like this..." Lilly patted his back.

"I'll take one with me if it makes you feel better," she suggested, but Kai shook his head.

"No. It's alright. I'd rather you not get stabbed by the figure's hair. It already happens enough with my actual hair anyway," he said, throwing the figure back into the pile.

"Is Kai the only one who got an action figure?" Hunter questioned, stepping over the large pile of smaller Kais. Zane shrugged.

"According to Pixal, everyone, except the girls, got figures made of themselves. They all did not sell well though," the nindroid informed them. Hunter blinked in surprise, then sighed.

"I would have at least liked to have at least seen the figure of me," he mumbled before following Lloyd, who was walking out of the alley. The rest of us followed as well, leaving behind the piles of wood and smiling Kai figures.

"Still no sign of Clouse?" Lloyd questioned as we sat at a rudimentary wooden table with mugs of mango tea. We decided to meet here after sweeping Stiix for signs of my uncle. Unfortunately, not even a hint of him being somewhere was found. It was like he disappeared without a trace.

"Nope," Cass answered, taking a sip of her tea.

"You'd think the citizens would notice someone who looked like a ghost," Cole said, brushing his black hair out of his face. I shrugged.

"Well, no one's noticed you yet," I reminded him. He was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"True," he agreed.

"What I don't understand is why I've never been asked for an autograph," Kai complained, before raising his voice "Not that I want the attention!"

The master of fire was immediately shushed by several of the Stiix citizens as he pouted, crossing his arms. Both Lilly and Nya hid their faces in their hands.

"I can't believe this idiot is my brother," the female master of water sighed.

"I can't believe I'm even with him," Lilly added.

"Kai, could you not act like a spoiled idol for like five minutes?" Cass narrowed her eyes at the master of fire, who turned and glared at her.

"I'm not spoiled!" he argued.

"Suuuure! What was that a minute ago then!?" Cass shot back.

"You're just jealous because Dareth keeps you out of the spotlight!" Kai retorted. Cass stood up immediately, nearly knocking over her cup of mango tea.

"I'll kick your ass to the freakin' sun!" she shouted as Cole restrained her. Nya rushed to restrain her brother, who was starting to throw punches.

"Guys, calm down! This isn't a time to be fighting!" Lloyd raised his voice, making both elemental masters freeze.

"At least I don't need the spotlight to get attention," Cass mumbled before Cole released her. Kai looked as though he might throw another punch, but Lloyd stared right at him.

"Don't," the Green Ninja spoke simply, his fedora hiding his eyes now. I could only imagine that he looked serious now though. Kai threatened a punch for a few more seconds before calming down. He glared at the female master of wind as his sister released him and he sat down. Lloyd sighed.

"I know Uncle Wu said that having more members on this team would be difficult and frustrating sometimes, but I didn't imagine the new guys fighting with the others a lot," the Green Ninja mumbled to himself.

"Well, they're still settling in, you know. No one's gonna get along with everyone in an instant," I whispered to him. Lloyd sighed as he brushed his light blond hair away from his eyes, revealing his now emerald green eyes. He was beginning to look frustrated. Then, he looked up at the TV that all the citizens were watching.

"Hey, could you guys turn that up?" he asked the citizens politely. One gruff looking man turned around, his greasy hair smacking another man's face.

"No one here cares for them fruit-colored ninja!" he claimed, looking annoyed. Well, this gives me assurance that Stiix is a Rabid-Fangirl-Free zone. Maybe the guys should hide out here more often. They won't be stalked so much then.

"Um, what fruit is black!?" Cole questioned, looking peeved.

"Uh, blackberries?" Jay answered, smiling. Cole turned and narrowed his eyes at the dark blue ninja.

"Shut it, Jay," the ghostly ninja told him.

"Shhh! Listen!" Nya said, hushing them both. The TV was blaring about something known as the "crime of the century". What possibly could this be? It can't be worse than the mega robberies that happened when I was a kid.

"The Green Ninja, Lloyd Garmadon, was caught on tape robbing the city bank!" the man on the TV reported. We all turned to look at Lloyd, who was looking at the TV in disbelief.

"That...looks like...me! But...how!?" he struggled to speak. I couldn't believe it either though. How is someone able to look exactly like Lloyd and rob the bank with no issue!? Last I recall, Lilly was the only one who could actually look close to Lloyd's likeness, but she's here and not there.

The TV continued to report more, showing our doppelgangers vandalizing the City, amusement park, and a nearby village. I couldn't believe it. These people even looked like me! They even replicated the faint scar on my cheek!

"That's not all though," the reporter said, cutting to the footage of helicopters and then a bright flash of light. Oh no. "The lesser known yellow ninja, Sammie Hence, was seen blinding helicopter pilots! This ended in all three helicopters crashing, with four people dead!"

I turned to Sammie, who was looking at the TV in horror. She said they'd be okay, but did a doppelganger of her take it a step farther!? Or did she not expect this? What is going on anyway!?

"I..." Sammie whispered, her voice trailing off. Her eyes widened though when I saw the TV cut to clips of reporters asking our known parents what they think. Both Sammie and Cole looked hurt when their father appeared on screen. I immediately felt a stabbing pain in my heart when it cut to a clip of my uncle Bruce standing outside of his village home. My father must be inside.

"No. My niece would never do something like that," my uncle ran a hand through his graying hair. His accent was so thick I was afraid the reporters would have a hard time understanding him. One reporter held up a paper and my uncle's eyes widened. The clip cut away though before my uncle could say anything though. He must have said something unsavory, otherwise they wouldn't have cut away like that. They probably want to hide the truth just so they can start up drama. My heart still ached though. I could imagine my father getting to hear the news, and how worried he would get, despite enough being on his plate. Ugh, why did this have to happen to us!?

"Ugh, can you believe 'em? They destroy our village, cause the deaths of our citizens, act like they saved the day, and then goin' around doing as they please," the gruff man from earlier complained, his mention of the citizens' deaths stinging me. Huh, and I thought I'd get through Stiix without getting upset over Myung. I guess it's unavoidable now. I didn't get it though. It was The Preeminent and Morro that destroyed Stiix, not us.

"Ugh, yeah, you're right. Ninja. Hate 'em. Ew. Haha," Kai spoke nervously, trying to act like he agreed with the man. Jay laid his head on his arms and sulked over his parents' reactions as Nya consoled him. Looks like I'm not the only one hurting badly. "Maybe now's a good time to leave!" Kai whispered to us all as Jay's head perked up. Hunter had already started sliding out of his seat.

"Hope Ruby likes bad boys..." the orange ninja whispered, sliding under the table.

"The ninja are still at large. They are armed and dangerous. I urge all citizens who spot them to immediately call the police and head to safety. There's no telling what they can do, given their unusual powers," the police chief spoke on TV, his snow white mustache looking like that of a bulldog's jowls. I wonder how many donuts he has stored in that mustache...if the rumor about Sensei Wu storing tea packets in his heard is true. The gruff man was staring us though, his scarred eye fixated on Zane. I heard a beeping similar to phone buttons sounding behind me.

"Hello? Local law enforcement?" I heard Zane say. I whipped my head around to see the nindroid's fingers connected to his head, indicating one thing. He was calling the police on us!

"Zane! What are you doing!?" Lloyd exclaimed before I could, looking at his robotic friend like he was betrayed.

"I am programmed to obey the law," the nindroid informed us calmly, his fingers still attached to his head.

"Well, go against your programming for a few hours, will ya!?" I glared at the robot, nearly knocking over my half full cup of tea by slamming my fists on the table. Zane raised an eyebrow.

"I am afraid that is impossible unless I am reprogrammed," he informed me. I crossed my arms.

"Hey, aren't you...?" the gruff man began to ask, approaching us. Jay immediately slid out of his seat and pulled Hunter out from under the table.

"Nope! Nope! No we're not! Nope!" he claimed as he pulled a reluctant Hunter with him. "We're that other group with a ghost, a nindroid, a few girls, and a guy with anime hair..."

"Huh, twelve on twelve. At least it's an even number," Kai said, smiling nervously as we all slid off our seats and backed up. This wasn't good...

"We're not gonna fight them," Lloyd told us, "it'll make us look even more like bad guys."

"Desperate times are gonna call for desperate measures, Lloyd!" Lilly said, pulling her hands into a defensive stance instead. Lloyd pushed them down.

"No! We'll look even worse!" he argued.

"Then what do we do!? Defend ourselves with witty banters!?" Jay asked, sounding panicked.

"Statistically speaking," Zane started as we started to run from the citizens, "your witty banters would only get us in more trouble!"

"Not to mention some of them are horrible," Nathan added, to which Jay glared at him.

"No one asked for your opinion, Nathan!" he shouted.

"You know, I liked these villagers better when they were fans!" Kai exclaimed, panting.

"Were they even fans in the first place!?" Cass questioned. We all skidded to a stop at the sudden appearance of policemen in our path. Damn, they got here fast! Or there's a police station in town now...

Cole turned and led us up a ladder, to which the villagers followed closely behind. We jumped rooftop to rooftop, trying to stick together as much as we could. Nathan accidentally slid down a rooftop at one point, but Sammie caught him before he could hit the ground, pulling him back up onto our path. We then ran to a ledge and used Airjitzu to get across, some of us assisting those who couldn't across. Once we got to the next ledge, we all paused to take a breath. My lungs burned from all the running, but it wasn't over yet.

"I've got a visual!" a police officer that was suddenly hanging on the ledge said, startling all of us.

"Come on!" Jay exclaimed, leading us as we ran away. We jumped down a few buildings and landed on a wooden sidewalk...just in time to see the citizens running our way.

"There's nowhere to hide!" Cole panicked, looking around. Kai glanced both directions, then put on a determined look.

"Well, there may be one place!" he claimed, running out into the middle of the boardwalk. He yelled a brief "NinjaGO!" before spinning into a fiery tornado and burning a hole through the boardwalk. We all quickly jumped through it, landing on the various wooden supports that held it up.

"Great thinking, now don't look down, otherwise you'll start screaming like you did a year ago," Nya said, hopping from one support to another. Her brother nodded, keeping his eyes forward as we jumped from support to support, but we were soon blinded by a bright flashlight. We avoided it as best we could, taking different paths and then meeting up again. I could see Lloyd talking to Misako through his watch, but couldn't quite hear what he was saying. He must calling her to come pick us up or something. Definitely better than trying to summon all our dragons at once.

Suddenly, a wrecking ball crashed through the floor nearest to me, nearly making me slide off the support where I was perched. We could hear the citizens above devising where to hit next, so we continued to move forward, despite how difficult it was starting to become to try and stay on a support without slipping due to my sneakers. I could hear wrecking balls crashing through the floors behind us. I did kinda smile to myself though. These citizens complain about us supposedly destroying their city when they're doing it right now! God, their downfall would be easy.

One by one, more wrecking balls fell through. This time, they fell ahead of us this time. We struggled to avoid each one. Just when one fell ahead of us though, we all jumped onto it, hiding from the suspecting citizens. We were quickly pulled upwards, unnoticed by them, as they were looking down, expecting to see us floating as shark bait. Ha, idiots.

"Look!" Sammie exclaimed, pointing to the approaching Bounty. A feeling of hope and relief ran through me, knowing that now we could finally rest.

"Home sweet home!" Kai cheered happily, smiling with the rest of us. Just as it came closer though, squad cars followed, shooting hooks into the ship and pulling it down. Our smiles quickly faded into frowns at the sight. Well, there goes our home and any type of secret harbored onboard. I hope Kai hid all his magazines, otherwise I'm sure the cops will take them. It's how it goes in movies anyway.

I could see the worry in Lloyd's face as he watched the ship harboring his mother and possibly even uncle go down. There was nothing we could do now though. The wrecking ball we were perched on was going down and the Bounty was surrounded. There was nothing we could do, unless we wanted to make ourselves look like true criminals.

"We need to split up," Lloyd suggested, tipping his fedora to make himself look more serious.

"Split up!? I thought we were all in this together!" Cole exclaimed, hanging onto the chain that held the wrecking ball.

"Things might go better if we divide," Sammie agreed with Lloyd, rising from a crouch.

"But nothing good comes out of being split up!" Jay argued, "Borg Tower, Yang's Temple, The Ice Maze, Morro's possession. All bad things!"

Lloyd winced at the mention of Morro's possession. "We have no other choice. We have to split up. Feel free to go in pairs if you must, but we'll meet again tomorrow. I'll let Kai decide it."

Everyone nodded in agreement and jumped from the wrecking ball in different directions. I followed Lloyd's path though, deciding to stick with him.

"You don't mind if I tag along with you, do you?" I questioned as we ran roof to roof. Lloyd shook his head.

"No, you're fine. I kinda needed to ask around for a place to stay overnight if you have one at all. Just until Kai informs us of the meetup location tomorrow," he said. I thought for a moment. Though it may be a bad idea, I do have one idea.

"My uncle Bruce seems to be on our side. I'm sure he'll let us hide out until tomorrow," I said. Lloyd nodded.

"Okay, let's head there then."


	4. Chapter 4

That night, Lloyd and I headed to my uncle Bruce's house, my heart dreading what was to come. Fortunately though, Uncle Bruce welcomed us with open arms, and my anxiety decreased bit my bit. Though, when I expected to see my father, my uncle told me he went back into the City to visit our old neighbors. He must be avoiding me or something. He knew I was coming here, now he doesn't want to talk to me. My own father probably doesn't believe that I'm innocent. Or that's at least what my mind is telling me.

My uncle let us take the guest room and gave us two sleeping bags, since the room was empty. Though I changed into the old pajamas I kept here just to avoid the button of my jean shorts from sticking me in the stomach, Lloyd decided to sleep in his day clothes, refusing my uncle's offer to get him something else. So now I lay here in my sleeping bag, unable to fall asleep. I could feel my wavy hair tickling my face as I turned to look at the wall, struggling to sleep. I guess that anxiety over what my father thinks of me is really affecting me now.

My father knows me though. He knows I'm way too scared to break any law...I hope. I thought he knew when I refused to steal that lip gloss for Luo at the dollar store years ago. I was even scared when my powers slipped years ago. I was afraid of what everyone thought then though. He should know I don't have the confidence and courage to break a law.

Then again, people can change in an instant, can't they? My father once changed in an instant, so does he think I'm the same way? Does he not agree with Uncle Bruce? Are my friends and I viewed as scoundrels by him now? I didn't want to know.

Despite being lost within my worried thoughts, I still heard a quiet whimper escape Lloyd as he slept. I turned back over, looking at the blond boy from across the room. He was faced towards me and his face was disturbed. Weird...is he having a nightmare? I wiggled out of my sleeping bag, deciding to check. I tiptoed quietly over to his side, crouching down to see.

His face looked calm now, as though the nightmare subsided. Was it just a one second one? Or is he in the clear in his dream for a bit? Either way, he's okay now, right? I hope...

As I started to creep away, a sudden gasp caught me off guard, causing me to trip on the cold floor, a squeak escaping my lips. I quickly flipped myself over to see Lloyd sitting up in his sleeping bag, breathing heavily with a frightened look on his face. He then turned and looked at me, his frightened look turning into worry.

"I-I'm sorry, did I wake you up?" he asked, sounding anxious. I shook my head.

"No, I've been awake for quite a while, don't worry. The real question is what was going on with you?" I assured him, crawling over to his side and sitting down. He looked down at his knees.

"It's nothing...just a stupid dream," he claimed, looking away. I knotted my eyebrows in worry.

"Are you sure? You seemed panicked," I asked. The Green Ninja was silent for a moment. Then, he looked at me, his eyes watering as though he were about to cry.

"I just...had a nightmare where everyone died...and I couldn't save anyone. I couldn't save anyone! I was helpless..." he admitted, hugging himself, "I'm the leader. I'm supposed to keep everyone safe. It's how it all goes! But, I can't. Even my dreams show that truth."

I frowned. "But Lloyd, you have protected everyone. Don't be so hard on yourself. One person can't control everything sometimes, you know."

"Yeah, _so far_. The future could hold something entirely different! I just have a recurring feeling that I'm gonna mess up. I'm gonna end up causing someone's death. I..." Lloyd struggled to speak, choking on tears. "I've already done it once..."

I gave a confused look. "What do you mean?" I don't remember Lloyd ever killing someone.

Tears were already streaming down his face. "I'm guessing you don't remember the time I killed you?"

I frowned at the memory, remembering how I saw Luo and how she told me to call my mother more often, just before I came back to life. I never got to do that...and I never will. If she knew who was dying next, why did she tell me to call mom!? "I remember it now."

"I couldn't think then, Karma. I had a belief that you were still magically alive. I started calling you by your actual name. I kept breaking down, unable to protect myself. I was lucky that Cass and Cole ran by, otherwise Bizarro Jay would have killed me on sight. I just...I can't go through that again," the Green Ninja confessed, brushing some of his sweaty hair out of his face. I honestly didn't know why he felt bad for calling me by my actual name. I thought I told him before that I was okay with him calling me by my actual name. I reached over and wiped the tears off his face with my thumbs, a sympathetic look on my face.

"And it won't happen again, believe me. You're a great leader, Lloyd. Even Cole is proud of you. I believe everything will be okay. Everything will be alright," I assured him, looking at his red and green eyes. He looked away.

"We're supposedly criminals now though, how can everything be 'okay'!?" he questioned, a few more tears escaping his eyes. "I don't even know what they're doing to my mother and uncle!"

I wiped away the tears, trying to figure out how to assure him everything was okay. I could only think of one thing. "Sometimes you have to wait out a storm to see the rainbow."

Lloyd looked back at me, confused. "Huh?"

"You have to wait out the bad times to see the good times. If we bear with this situation and keep moving forward, we will reach better times, especially if we keep positive thoughts in our heads," I told him, honestly saying what came to my tongue first. "Your relatives will be okay. Everyone will be okay."

"I hope you're right," Lloyd sighed, blinking. His eyes went from red and green just to plain bright red.

I smiled. "Have I ever been wrong?"

"Not that I remember," Lloyd smiled back. I leaned forward and planted a long kiss on his lips, then I moved upwards, planting a kiss on his head. I smiled again as I pulled away, a faint pink blush appearing on his cheeks. It's hard to believe that I thought Lloyd was completely full of himself years ago. Then again, when have tabloids ever been right?

"Before you go back to sleep, can I ask you something?" the master of energy asked. I nodded. "Are _you_ alright? You must be having rough times too."

I thought for a moment, thinking about the grief that still exists within me over my mother's death. The troubles I had getting out of bed. The self-deprecating thoughts I had about myself. The times I couldn't sleep. All of it. I decided to hide all inside though, figuring we would be up all night if we started talking about this. "I'm alright. Don't worry," I smiled, standing up. Lloyd gave a worried look.

"Are you sure?" he asked. I hesitated a moment, questioning myself. Do I really feel up to talking about it? It's been a year after all. Though, I didn't really feel up to it. I wasn't ready to talk about everything.

"Yeah. I'm alright. Sleep well, okay?" I said. Lloyd nodded, sliding back into his sleeping bag as I wiggled into mine. My thoughts were active with assorted questions like _"when are we gonna tell someone?", "when will it end?", "how can I make it end?", and "how can I end it all?"._ Though my thoughts were rapid, I could slowly feel myself drifting off to sleep. I guess I have fatigued myself.

 _Same Time, Unknown Village_

Kai and Lilly snuck through the village under the cover of night, both of their hoods pulled onto their heads. The master of fire had already decided on their meetup location, which happened to be the old monastery where everything started. He was unsure if the new members would understand where this is, but he assumed they knew, considering that Zane told them how the team started. How he missed those times, when everything was simple. When there wasn't more than ten people in their home. He missed how easy it was to find his room, and not open the wrong door. He missed not having to stick a note on the leftovers he claimed.

It wasn't that he disliked the presence of his current teammates though. He appreciated how he finally had someone who knew of the holidays he and Nya celebrated, and she celebrated them too. He appreciated his teammates' presence because he had more people to talk to. He had more people to learn from. He had people who could relate to his past experience. He didn't know if their parents were murdered like his though. He just knew their parents were dead as well. He wasn't the only Batman in the group anymore.

Though, there were many downsides. He tended to get in many disagreements with Hunter. He'd have to hide the leftovers he claimed before Cole found them and devoured them. Sammie was overoptimistic in his opinion. Karma somehow figured out most of his secrets. He was easily annoyed by Nathan and despite being close to her, Lilly tended to lie a lot.

He could understand some of their behavior though. Cole still binge eats, despite Zane being back, possibly out of stress. Sammie just wanted to see everyone happy, and Lilly seemed to have similar behavior to her mother, despite saying she despised her mother. From what he could see, her mother didn't exactly treat her well either. No reason to lie though.

Though, the words Alex said a year ago still rang in his mind. _"...his girlfriend is lying to him..."_ The taunt replayed in his mind, bugging him. He wouldn't really be surprised if it was true, and he had to admit, this was the first time he believed someone he opposed. What exactly could she be lying about this time though? He's put up with most of it, and noticing how nervous she becomes when he sees right through it. He's seen right through all of them though. She seems to look panicked when she lies anyway. She seems to look slightly panicked whenever anyone raises their voice anyway.

Though, she was always nice to him anyway. Sure, they would joke around with each other, but once she broke out of her shell she just seemed nicer. What more could she be hiding that Alex knows about?

"So, how far away is the monastery again?" he heard Lilly ask, snapping the master of fire out of his thoughts. He looked around at their surroundings, spotting a few mountains. They were close.

"Not far, but I'm not heading there first. We gotta stop in the City to drop the hint," he informed her. He heard her yawn.

"Wouldn't it be wise to rest though? We _did_ run miles across Stiix without stopping," she reminded him. Kai sighed.

"It would, but we're going to have to be unwise for a day or so. I gotta drop this hint before we can even come back this way. I'm afraid we're gonna have to pull an all-nighter," he informed her, then he turned to look back at her. "Besides, I have a question I've been meaning to ask you."

"What is it?" Lilly asked, walking a bit faster.

"A year ago, Alex said something to me. Something that has been bugging me for a long time," the master of fire told her. He saw Lilly raise an eyebrow.

"Um, Kai, you know that Alex is a huge liar, right?" she asked. The master of fire stopped walking.

"Yes, but you are too, so who do I believe!?" he snapped. Lilly winced at the raising of his voice and froze, looking a little hurt. He decided to continue, lowering his voice. "Listen, Alex told me that you were still lying about something, and I assume it to be important. I thought we promised to not to lie about anything!"

"You still lie about those magazines," Lilly reminded him. The master of fire narrowed his eyes.

"That's for a reason," he claimed. She crossed her arms.

"Then why can't I lie about something if you get to lie about those!?" she questioned. Kai sighed.

"Lilly, I have reason to believe that it's serious," he said.

"It's not that big of a deal!" she claimed.

"If it's not that big of a deal then why are you so defensive about it!?" he shouted, making her wince again.

"Maybe it's something I want to keep to myself!" she argued, beginning to look upset. Kai could feel his body temperature rising due to his mood.

"Lilly if it's important you need to tell the truth!" he continued to argue. She winced every time he raised his voice. _Why is she being so freakin' difficult!?_

"Maybe I don't want to! Maybe it's something I wanna keep to myself!" she yelled, echoing through the forest.

"Lilly-!" he began to argue again, his body temperature rising quickly, but the blonde interrupted him.

"I said I didn't want to talk about it!? Can you not understand English!?"

Kai had reached his boiling point. He was sure at any time now he would burst into flames. _Why is she so reluctant to tell me!?_

"You know, no wonder I can't stand you anymore! You act just like your deadbeat mom!" the words slipped out of the master of fire's mouth before he could even think about what he was saying. It took him a moment to realize what he said, but only a second to see Lilly's reaction. Not only did she look extremely hurt, but she also looked offended, her eyes watering. His body temperature slowly cooled as regret replaced rage. _Shit! I really screwed up now, didn't I!?_

"Wait! I didn't mean-" he began to approach her, softening his voice. Lilly created an ice barrier between them before he could finish though, tears streaming from her eyes. _Crap! She can do that!?_

"No...I've heard enough," her voice shook as she stood there. She then turned and ran away, leaving Kai behind the ice barrier. He ran up to it, cursing to himself as he melted the ice.

"Dammit! Lilly, wait!" he shouted, no longer seeing her silhouette. He slammed his fist into the ice, cursing like a sailo _r. If only I used my damn brain!_ How was he supposed to get the message out and find Lilly at the same time? He really only had one choice to choose.

 _She can find her way to the City, right? She won't be as ticked come the afternoon of tomorrow. I'll check in and try to find her then. God...I hope I'm not screwing up again. I'm afraid if I even try to approach her now we'll both explode._

He sighed before summoning his dragon and heading towards the City, despite his reluctance to leave. He didn't want to let the rest of his teammates down.

 _Unknown Forest_

 _"You know, no wonder I can't stand you anymore! You act just like your deadbeat mom!"_ The words echoed through Lilly's mind like a song stuck in her head. Her mind kept replaying his words over and over, causing her to hurt even more. _Do...do I really act like her? Is that how he views me? All because I didn't want to steal the uniqueness Zane had with his powers?_

 _There's no way I'm like her though, I don't do the things she did to me. I'd never do that to anyone_. Though, she doubted herself. She knew of the times when she'd be unknowingly harsh towards another teammate, or misinterpreted someone's words. _That can't be too close to my mother's actions, could they?_

She continued to cry though, taking the words personally. She knew Kai probably didn't mean it, but they way he said it made it hard for her to believe it. She knew he'd have outbursts, saying things he didn't mean, but this one hurt too much. It was like a bullet through the heart. As if everything didn't hurt enough already...

"Some people are really insensitive, aren't they?" Lilly heard a voice with a thick accent speak from behind her. She turned around in an instant, searching for the source of the voice but finding nothing.

"Hello!?" she called out, looking around. She was beginning to feel nervous. She pulled off her hood.

"How dare he compare you to her, right?" the voice spoke again, this time to her right. She turned, suddenly facing a floating orange man in green armor. He had no legs and his black hair was held in a ponytail. The four arms are what freaked her out though.

"What are you!?" she exclaimed, her eyes wide. The floating man chuckled.

"I am a Djinn. Basically a genie. I could sense your sadness and came to visit you," he explained, smiling. He then floated in a circle around her. "I can grant you any three wishes you like, though it cannot be infinite wishes, for love, or for death."

 _Crap, there goes my first idea_. Lilly thought once the Djinn told her no infinite wishes. It didn't matter though. She only wanted to wish for one thing anyway.

"Okay...I wish to go back in time..." she said, not specifying where she wanted to go. When she was about to say it though, the Djinn was already speaking.

 _"Your wish...is yours to keep."_

A white flash blinded Lilly, causing her to shield her eyes. Once the flash finally faded though, she found herself in a damp alleyway with the Djinn. She blinked.

"Where are we?" she asked. The Djinn smiled again.

"We are years into the past. I thought you would recognize this place immediately," he informed her. Lilly looked around, not recognizing it until she watched a little girl run by. The girl's hair was light blonde and wild, her face dirtied and bruised with a bandage on her cheek. The girl's eyes were an icy blue and her hair reached her shoulders. She was as thin as a twig and wore what looked like hand-me-down clothing. Lilly could recognize her immediately.

"That's...me..." she pointed at the girl as she ran by with an apple in each hand. It was her when she was but twelve. This Djinn took her really far back.

"Yes, it is. Quite the adventurous girl you were, weren't you?" the Djinn observed. A sudden sinking feeling appeared within Lilly though as she realized where this took place. She knew what was about to happen.

Her younger self ran down the hallway before being knocked down by a bigger child, nearly dropping the two apples she carried.

"Stealing things again, aren't ya?" he asked, to which her younger self glared at him.

"I gotta eat somehow!" she argued. The boy kicked her, causing her to yelp.

"You can't steal nothin' if you keep letting me knock you around like your momma did!" the boy shouted. Lilly's younger self spit on him.

"Go eat a cow anus!" she shouted. The boy slammed her into the wall, brushing her spit off his shiny jacket with disgust.

"You really think I'm gonna let ya spit on my jacket!? MY BEST JACKET!?" the boy yelled. She smiled.

"Well, I just did. So yes, you did let me," Lilly's younger self smiled. The boy narrowed his eyes before she spit on his jacket again. He looked enraged before snapping. Two people then approached, one girl and one boy, both in leather jackets like the boy's.

"This should teach you about disobeying me!" he shouted before punching Lilly's younger self in the face, a crack coming from her nose. It then turned into an all out fist fight, and Lilly could remember it all. How weak she was compared to the boy and his cronies. Every bruise and cut she had felt in her small body. How Yami had to take her to the hospital over her nose. She could recall all of it.

"Hey! Shoo! Shoo! Don't make me call the police, you scoundrels!" Lilly heard Yami's voice yell. The group separated, bolting the other way as Lilly's younger self held her nose, which blood gushed from. Yami pointed his _kaskana_ at the children until they ran away, sheathing it back in place. His curly orange hair was long then, and held in a ponytail. His clothing wasn't any different from the present though.

"How many more fights are you going to get into?" Yami questioned, helping Lilly's younger self up, ignoring the now bruised apples. She sighed.

"They didn't want me to eat. They think they're some big crime fighting force when really all they are are bullies!" she complained as Yami brushed her off. He then tilted her head forward and had her pinch the soft part of her nose.

"You weren't stealing again, were you?" he asked. Lilly's younger self looked away, guilty. Yami sighed.

"Let's just go to the hospital. Hopefully they have a telephone there so I can tell Xavier where we are," he said, picking the young girl up and leaving the bruised apples behind. Lilly watched them leave, remembering all her memories with them. Xavier and Yami weren't far from her age, yet they cared for her like parents would. She sometimes even thought they were secretly married.

She sighed, turning back to the Djinn. She had decided that she had enough. She wanted to go where the Bounty was. She wanted to go back to her friends. She didn't want to see any more displays of when she couldn't defend herself.

"I wish to go back home," she said. The Djinn nodded, a smirk appearing on his face.

 _"Your wish...is yours to keep."_

The flash blinded her again, and she expected to see the Bounty again, to see that Misako and Wu had escaped and everything was okay...but she didn't. Instead, she was slapped in the face with sleet and harshly cold wind. Lilly shivered, hugging herself and slowly opening her eyes. Instead of the Bounty before her, she saw an old wooden house with one dim blue lantern hanging by the door. There were other old houses nearby, and power lines that hung low, weighed down by heavy snow and ice. It took a moment before everything clicked in her mind, and she realized where exactly she was.

"Home sweet home, right?" the Djinn smirked. The memories were rapidly flooding back as she started to back away from the house. Her old home. The one she ran away from. The one she and her father escaped. Lilly placed a gentle hand on her neck, remembering everything that happened here.

She then hugged herself, tears streaming down her face. "No...no...no..nonono..WHY DID YOU BRING ME HERE!?" her voice progressively got louder as she continued to back away, the memories still flooding into her mind. All the memories she thought she forgot.

The Djinn shrugged. "You said you wanted to go home, so I brought you home."

"No...this isn't what I wished for! I wanted to go back to my friends! They're my home! I...no...non...non..." her voice shook as she backed into a wall. The Djinn wasn't what she thought at all. In fact, it looked like he was enjoying her reaction. _What kind of "great" genie is this!?_

"You could always just _wish for it all to go away_. You'll be free from this place. You will be okay," the Djinn offered, smirking, "Or you could continue to let your mind torture you."

Lilly didn't know what to choose. She didn't want to be here. She didn't even want to remember this place, but she didn't trust the Djinn anymore. She didn't want him to screw up her third wish and get her stranded somewhere. She was desperate though. She wanted to get out of here. She wanted to forget all these memories. She wanted to be back in safety. Back with her friends. She didn't even care about what Kai said anymore. She'd go back.

"I..." she started, trying to keep her voice from shaking, "... _.I wish it would all go away!"_

The Djinn didn't speak this time, he only smirked, as if she were a rabbit that had just fallen into a hunter's trap. Suddenly, pain shot up her legs, through her torso and into her head. The world was spinning now as she cried out, and she had no idea what was going on. _What did I do now!? Did I make a mistake!?_ Before she could even see what was happening to her though, she blacked out.

 **2-5 3-1-18-5-6-21-12 23-8-1-20 25-15-21 23-9-19-8 6-15-18**


	5. Chapter 5

Nathan followed Sammie through the City, avoiding any kind of light from cars or street lamps in an attempt to keep their faces hidden. The night had kept them hidden well so far, but they've tripped over assorted things like trash cans, cats, bottles, and boxes along the way too. One of the light blue ninja's knees stung from a fall he had taken earlier on a large piece of a broken bottle. He was sure there was some sort of small glass piece embedded in the skin of his knee, but he said nothing about it. _Gotta act tough anyway. The ladies love tough men!_ The pain was killing him though, and he didn't know how much longer he could take it.

"Eh, Sammie? Do you think we could...stop for a moment? I'm feeling kinda tired," he spoke up. The master looked back at him, her bright yellow hair shining in the moonlight that engulfed the sidewalk.

"But you just told me you could keep walking all night a minute ago," she reminded him. Nathan sighed, feeling as though the glass was crawling farther into his knee. How was he supposed to come up with an excuse without tainting his whole 'tough guy' image?

"Nathan, if it's about the glass in your knee, we can take a break so I can get it out of your knee," Sammie added suddenly, catching the master of water off guard. _She knows! But how!?_

"W-wait, how'd you know there's glass in my knee!?" he asked, stuttering. Sammie sighed, then gestured to his knee, which glass was sticking out of the fabric of his jeans.

"You've been limping with your knee like that for the past fifteen minutes. You think it wasn't obvious?" she told him. Nathan looked down at his knee and frowned, the sight of glass sticking out of his knee suddenly making it hurt much more. It all would have been better if he never saw it. Just like that time when his brother skinned his arm and he swore he saw some sort of bone. The light blue ninja shivered at the memory.

"Let's just get it out of my knee before I have to amputate," he told her quietly. _So much for my 'tough guy' act. She probably thinks I'm a wimp or something._

Nathan clenched his teeth as he felt Sammie slowly pull the long, jagged piece of glass from his knee. It hurt like nails being driven into his flesh, but he tried to keep up his 'tough guy' act though, trying to act like it was nothing. It truly wasn't nothing though. It actually hurt more than anything, but he believed he was the only one who knew that.

"I'm surprised you haven't screamed or cried yet. It looks like it really hurts," Sammie commented as she removed the piece of glass and checked for any smaller pieces. Nathan gulped, forcing a confident smile.

"Ha, this isn't nothing. Hunter and I have faced worse!" he claimed as the yellow ninja dabbed the wound with a handkerchief she had stuffed in her pocket. It stung more than anything now, but Nathan tried to keep up with his charade, not letting the pain break him.

"Really? What?" Sammie asked, her eyebrows raised in surprise. Nathan quickly tried to think up a believeable story without looking nervous.

"Well, once when we were kids, I got a whole snake stuck in my arm!" he told her quickly, trying to make it sound real. Sammie paused for a moment, then broke into a laugh, dropping the handkerchief on her leg. The light blue ninja's cheeks grew warm both out of embarrassment and the fact that he found her laugh cute. _Great, she knows I'm lying. I've embarrassed myself again!_ his thoughts shouted. He had no idea how to recover the story. How to make it seem like a joke and say a different and more realistic story, but he couldn't do it. He was paralyzed out of embarrassment.

"You're hilarious, Nathan," the master of light's laughing ceased as she smiled. He didn't know whether to be still embarrassed or flattered. Honestly, he was a little of both.

"You know, you came right out and said you liked me a year ago. Why didn't you just tell me about your knee, too?" she asked. Heat rushed across the boy's face, causing him to be paralyzed for a brief period of time. _Mission abort! Mission abort! She knows! She knowwwws!_ Nathan could recall that he did accidentally reveal his crush on the girl a year ago while arguing with Jay, but he never addressed it again, acting as though it were something he never said. Now, she was here, bringing it back up. Was she hinting towards something?

'E-e-eh...Why are you just now bringing this up!? I said that a year ago!" the master of water exclaimed. Is she trying to confess to him or something!? Sammie looked to the right for a moment, then back up at him.

"Well, ever since we became celebrities, I'd try to bring it up but fail horribly. Then, I saw how much hate was directed towards Lilly and Nya concerning relationships, so I just kept it all to myself. I thought I'd be out of the big spotlight and avoid hate, but I was wrong. That magazine article said so much about me..." she admitted, "...I just kinda lost confidence for a brief period of time. Though, to be honest, what I said earlier was a bit of an accident, but I said it."

 _This is just like in those cartoon dramas Karma watches,_ Nathan though to himself, trying to refrain from blushing. He could almost barely remember watching one with her. He remembered some sort of scene with a schoolgirl confessing to her crush under some sort of cherry tree. Considering it was in a language he didn't know, he didn't know how meaningful the confession was, but the guy was into it. The girl also kept calling the guy 'senpai', which he found weird, considering it was not the boy's name. He could remember thinking that 'senpai' was what Japanese people called the people they love, though he'd never seen Karma call Lloyd 'senpai' once. Either way, this moment reminded him of the scene.

"O-oh. What did that magazine say exactly?" Nathan asked. Sammie sighed, her dirt brown eyes showing hints of sadness.

"Just that I'm weak. I'm not as strong as everyone else. I was only let on the team because I'm Cole's sister and that everyone felt sorry for me. I can't do anything except stand there and look pretty," she told him, "Now, add on the fact that I accidentally killed someone while getting us away from the choppers. What does all this make me? Just a weak coward who doesn't know how to control her power. I probably rank somewhere with that Morro guy they fought a year ago."

Nathan frowned, his eyes concerned. "Sammie, you know none of that is true. You've done tons of amazing things that make you an important member of the team. Don't let some dumb tabloid tell you otherwise! I mean, look, your optimism along with Jay's is what keeps our team together in tough times. You've proven to be q-quite amazing at what you do and the rest of us admire your skill. Some of us even look up to you."

Sammie looked at Nathan wide-eyed for a moment, then looked away. "I have a feeling most of that isn't true. I killed someone, Nathan. I'm not great."

"I'm pretty sure the guys have killed someone before too, Sammie! Though, you shouldn't let it destroy you like this, especially since it was an accident. You didn't mean to do it. You just wanted to protect us!" Nathan told her, gently lifting her chin up, "You meant no harm. An accident shouldn't taint the greatness you have. You're just as strong as us! Don't let anyone tell you otherwise!"

He could see tears welling up in her eyes, and for a brief period of time the boy thought he had hurt her feelings. Though, that quickly changed when she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him. Heat rushed to Nathan's cheeks faster than the speed of light, and he found himself frozen. _She hugged me. She actually hugged me!? Someone please pinch me just so I know I'm awake._

Sammie then pulled away, looking at him. "Th...Thanks...Nathan. You're the best," she smiled, before leaning forward. The master of water's heart and mind went into panic mode. _It's happening! It's happening! Everyone stay calm! STAY CALM! Don't mess it up! I SAID DON'T MESS IT UP! This is our big moment, boys! This is the day we've been dreaming of! Keep it under control! Be cool!_ He braced himself for it. He waited for the feeling of her lips on his, trying to keep his face from warming. Though, when he could feel that she was just mere centimeters from him, he heard someone yell.

"Oi! Don't be doin' any of that romantic crap here! I don't need to be reminded of how my wife and I used to be!" a hobo yelled from the corner of the alleyway, munching on a can of lima beans. He then looked up at the apartment building next to him, yelling, "Patty! Come back! I still love you!"

"Get lost, bum!" a feminine voice shouted to him as Nathan and Sammie pulled away from each other. The master of water looked at the yellow ninja, smiling nervously. Her lips turned up in a smile, too. Though, despite the positive attitude between the two, negativity still ate away at Sammie's insides. Despite Nathan's words, she still felt like she was the weakest.

 _The Next Day, Unknown Place, Unknown Time_

After leaving his phone in the alleyway with the tweet and flying back to the village by the forest, Kai returned to the small wall of melting ice that had separated him and Lilly. He figured that he'd at least try to find her first before going back to the old Monastery, just in case she was still here. Besides, he knew what was coming for him anyway, and he'd rather face it now than later, despite his reluctance. He knew she was most likely going to break up with him, but he felt as though he would deserve it. After all, the same thing happened between him and Skylor, yet they tell different reasons to cover up what actually happened. He knew karma was going to come and kick him in the teeth, **BOTH** karmas were. Either way, human Karma would find out this happened and kick him in the teeth. It was inevitable. _Might as well accept fate as it is._

Though, Kai knew he'd be really upset afterwords, mostly with himself, just like after his breakup with Skylor. _I need to just clamp my damn mouth shut._ Though, he felt he and Lilly were more attached than he and Skylor were. It was going to hurt, a ton. Though, now he was concerned on something else. _Is she alright!? Is she hurt!? Did she get hurt!? Oh god, please let her be okay!_

He looked for her shoeprints in the mud and followed them into the forest, worry flooding into his mind. So much could have happened in twelve hours. So much could have happened even within a few minutes. He began to run as anxiety took over his mind, the worst case scenarios running through his head. _The cops may have found her. An animal could have attacked her and she could be bleeding out. She could be dead. Someone could have killed her!_ Memories from years ago flashed through his head as he ran faster. His little sister's terrified face. The masks. The blood. The panic that spread in Ignacia that night. The man in the mask that approached him and his sister. _No, I'm not letting it happen again! It better not happen again!_

Kai skidded to a stop as he noticed the shoeprints' abrupt end. The prints had made a circular shape before ending to his right. Now he was confused. _Did she use her dragon? Or did something happen?_ He looked for dragon prints and any marks that could have been made by a dragon, but found none. He then looked for cylindrical holes in the mud, just to see if she used Airjitzu, but found zero. He didn't find any animal or unfamiliar shoeprints either, leaving the master of fire bewildered. _What happened to her? She couldn't have climbed a tree, she can't teleport, and she doesn't have wings._

Fear flooded his mind, paralyzing him. It couldn't have been aliens. No one could have taken her, could they? There would have been evidence of a struggle. She would have put up a fight. Even he knew that. Yet, he could feel himself panicking even more as each second flew by. _Oh god, I never should have said that! I never should have brought it up! We would be fine then! She wouldn't be missing! I wouldn't be so scared to return to my friends! God, why do I screw up everything!?_

The sudden beep of his watch startled him, bringing him out of his thoughts. He looked down and pushed his jacket sleeve away, revealing the old silver watch. The time read 12:00 PM. The time he planned to meet with his friends at the old Monastery at. He sighed, reluctant to leave again. He knew he had to go to the Monastery though and face his friends. Maybe he could get them to help him find her, or maybe she would appear there.

He could only hope.

 _Five Minutes Later, Rubble of Wu's Monastery_

Both Lloyd and I landed at the same time the others did, the charred and weathered remains of this Monastery making me wonder how it once looked. Could it have looked like the Monastery I was at when I joined the Ninja? I felt that it was unlikely.

"Ugh, are you kidding me!? The newbies found the Monastery before me!? They didn't even live here!" Jay complained as he landed. I rolled my eyes. It's not a competition.

"I told them where it was, Jay. Besides, I thought you'd feel victorious because Kai isn't here yet," Cole said, floating to the middle of the paved ground. Jay looked around for a brief moment, then smiled.

"Ha! He got lost!" the master of lightning laughed.

"I doubt that's the case, since he gave us all the hint as to where we were meeting. He and Lilly are probably running late," Cass said, brushing her wavy hair out of her face as she joined Cole. Hunter giggled.

"Or maybe they're stranded somewhere. I can just see Lilly being like," he paused a moment to clear his throat, then did his best impression of her "God, Kai, why'd you have to get us stranded!? How am I supposed to resist the urge to make out with you now!?"

Nathan spun over to his brother's side using spinjitsu, then did his best Kai impression. "I may or may not have screwed up on purpose this time! But why hold back the urge? I know you can't resist my freaky-looking hair and my extremely bad pick up lines." The male master of water then posed dramatically, as though he were a model.

Nya laughed along with the rest of us. "Alright you two, that's enough." Though, just as she said that, a roar of a dragon announced the presence of the fire ninja himself. We all turned to greet both Kai and Lilly, but found that Kai was by himself, with no sign of Lilly. I was instantly concerned.

"Oh, look who it is," Nya said, smiling at her brother's arrival. He didn't smile back.

"Where's Lilly?" I asked. Kai's eyes widened, then he looked at the ground, not responding for a few minutes. He then looked up, a little upset.

"I...lost her," he admitted. I was still concerned and confused.

"What do you mean? Did the cops arrest her? What happened?" I asked. Kai looked at the ground again.

"We got into a small argument and I accidentally called her a name I shouldn't have. She ran off while mad and I couldn't find her. I tried looking again earlier, but all I could find was a dead end," he explained. I could feel my anger growing. It couldn't have been good, considering she ran off. He really screwed up.

"What did you say to her?" I asked, stepping forward. Kai began to look nervous.

"Listen, it was just so-" he began to say. That's not the answer I want.

" _What_ did you say to her!?" I asked again, much more sternly this time. The master of fire sighed, looking upset.

"I said she was just as bad as her mother. I-It was an ac-" he admitted before I tackled him and pushed him onto the ground. He seriously thinks he can say crap like that and get sympathy from others over THAT mistake!? For all I know, my friend could be dead now because of him! I felt my hands lock around his throat as anger took over my actions. He knows how crappy her mother is! He knows he shouldn't ever compare her and her mom. He _should_ know! There's no excuse! _There's no excuse!_ I could feel my grip tightening, but I couldn't hear. Was it because I was focused on one thing? Or was it because I didn't care? I didn't know. I just knew I wanted to stop it all. I just wanted to satisfy my anger.

"Seiko! Stop!" I heard someone yell behind me before I was picked up, losing my grip on Kai's throat. Green sleeves were wrapped around my torso and holding me above the ground as I kicked and protested. I watched Nya and Sammie help Kai up, two small red handprints around his throat. I blinked as I stopped kicking, sudden surprise washing over me. Did I do that? _Yes, you did._

"Holy cannoli, Karma. I knew you were protective and all...but geez," Cole commented, wide-eyed. I huffed, glaring at Kai as he now politely declined Nya and Sammie's offer to help him with anything else. I secretly hoped deep down that Lilly would actually break up with him whenever we found her, just to teach him a lesson. It was likely that she would do so, and I hoped she would. Someone needs to teach him a lesson.

"I know. I screwed up badly...but it's no reason to strangle me!" Kai exclaimed, rubbing his neck. I narrowed my eyes. Oh, I don't know, Porcupine. My best friend could be dead because of you! All because you decided to compare her to her mother! _Maybe you should have went down like your parents did that night._ No...no...what am I thinking!? That's horrid! Why would I even...?

"Okay, we don't really have much time before the police find this place too, so we'll have to assume she was found by the police," Lloyd spoke up, still restraining me, "Zane, show them the video."

The nindroid nodded. "I have security footage of Sensei at the library yesterday, and he was not alone."

Zane's eyes projected the video onto a large boulder. It showed our Sensei sitting at a table reading something, when suddenly a flash of smoke appeared in the bottom right corner of the video. Our Sensei acknowledged it. Then, three seconds later, it cut out.

"Wait, what happened? Is there more?" Sammie asked, looking at the video with concern.

"Who was he looking at?" Kai added, looking just as concerned.

"We don't know, but no one's seen him since," Cole answered both of them.

"The library database indicated that he had checked out a book about the Teapot of Tyran. We originally thought he made a dealing with Clouse, but if this is what I think it is, it appears to be far worse," Zane informed us all, the projection disappearing from the rock. He may have made a dealing with my uncle? But why? What's even going on!? "We may have a Djinn on our hands," the nindroid continued, informing us all. Okay, now I was confused. What the heck is a Djinn!?

"What exactly is a Djinn?" Cass asked, looking just as confused as I was.

"It's basically like a genie, except when they grant you wishes, you'll wish you would have never met them," Nya told her. So, basically, a bad genie? I'm not going to see magic carpets or sing something about "Aliababwa"? This isn't going to be fun...

"What else do we know about Djinn?" Lloyd asked, releasing me.

"Not much...just that they're very sneaky and have great power," Kai told him, looking a bit uncertain. He then asked Nya for her phone and started typing something on it.

"What are you doing?" Hunter asked as Zane went to talk to Jay. Kai paused a moment, then sighed.

"If any of us were caught by the police, there would be a news report immediately. Look at this," he showed the screen of the phone, revealing an article about the disappearance of Lloyd's mother from the interrogation room. There was nothing about any of us being caught, leading to the conclusion that the police had not found Lilly.

"If we conclude that Sensei Wu disappeared after this Djinn visited him, my only conclusion is that this same Djinn visited Misako and Lilly. I don't know if he kidnapped them or did something else with them, but none of this can be good," Kai said. Lloyd was beginning to look worried.

"I have an idea," Cole said, "Why don't we search for clues on what this Djinn is here for while searching for the Bounty, too?"

"Aren't we still searching for Clouse though?" Nathan asked. Cole shook his head.

"Not anymore. He's not as big of a threat. The Djinn could be quite the threat," the ghostly ninja informed him.

"Then it's settled. Since we know so little about Djinn, we need to head back to town to investigate more about them," Lloyd said.

"But wait. If we all head back together, the police will arrest us on sight!" I told him, a bit worried.

"We should split up then," Cole suggested.

"But anyone caught alone with this character suddenly disappears!" he told the master of earth.

"Then we travel in pairs," Lloyd decided, before turning to the master of ice, "Zane, you and I will head to the library to see what else we can find."

I watched Jay run over to Nya, only for Cole to say "Yeah, yeah! And Jay and I can look for clues at the scene where he framed us." The ghostly ninja then turned to his best friend, smiling. "Whaddaya say, buddy? Just like old times?"

"Ha, sweet," Jay smiled nervously, "Who doesn't love old times?" I had a feeling he wanted to go with Nya instead.

"Kai, you and your sister see what else is out there. That goes for Karma and Cass, too," Lloyd told us, "Hunter, Nathan, Sammie, I need you guys on backup in case something happens to Zane and I, okay?" Hunter nodded, smiling, to which a determined look appeared on Lloyd's face. "If we wanna clear our names and get everyone back, we need to find this Djinn and take him down. We need to meet back here at sunup. Oh, and guys? Look out for each other."

"Good luck guys!" Sammie called as we ran to summon our dragons.

"You too!" I shouted as I jumped and summoned my dragon beneath me. We all split and I followed Cassidy, going in the opposite direction of Kai and Nya. We flew above the clouds to avoid being spotted by police vehicles. Though, a sinking feeling remained inside me. It was likely that my best friend, along with Sensei and Misako, was taken by the Djinn. I couldn't help but think though, what is he doing to them? Are they okay? Are they being tortured?

I was afraid of the answer.


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N: The Midnight Two will now be updating every Sunday or Saturday unless there is a delay! Delays may be frequent come March and May though.**_

 _Ninjago City_

"Lloyd said it won't be long. He and Zane are already inside," Hunter told the other two, checking the communication device implanted in his watch, "We should probably stay vigilant though. Y'know, just in case the police call the SWAT or something. Those guys are sneakier than us."

"Way ahead of you," Sammie stuffed her golden hair into a hat and peeked over the side of the building, checking for any signs of the police. They were stationed just a block away so they could warn Lloyd and Zane ahead of time, giving the two time to hide. So far, though, it had been quiet with little activity. Sammie had a feeling this quiet wouldn't last long though once someone noticed Zane's chrome plating. It was enough that she had to hide her hair just to avoid being recognized.

"On it," Nathan said, peeking over the other ledge and watching the skies. Sammie couldn't help but look over at him though, only for a brief moment. The memory of the night before last still fresh in her mind. She had brought up his accidental confession again, and she thought they almost kissed. Though, she didn't fully understand why Nathan harbored feelings of affection for her. She saw herself as a bit plain and that magazine article said she was weak. Yet, he had said she was strong, just like her brother had said about her too. He saw her as more than that for some reason. Out of all the other girls, he was into her for some reason. He obviously lost his cool around her a lot, but she still didn't understand. What made her stand out to him? What made her special?

Though, she did have to ask herself, "What makes Nathan stand out to me?" Was it because she loved his hair and those ocean blue eyes? Or maybe it was because of his attempts to impress her, although he didn't need to? Or maybe it was purely for the fact that she was attracted to his personality. The fact that he was nicer to her than anyone else and believed in her. The fact that he enjoyed her optimism and company. Sammie blushed to herself, thinking of all the reasons why she liked Nathan. At this point, she could literally have an endless list!

Her thoughts were then interrupted by the sound of Hunter tapping on his watch repeatedly. Sammie turned to face him. "Lloyd? Hey, are you still there!?" he tapped again, looking concerned. Nathan looked just as worried.

"Do you think the police outsmarted us?" the master of water questioned. Hunter shook his head.

"No. This plan got the official Hunter Seal of Approval! There's no way we could have failed already!" he exclaimed, continuing to tap on his watch. "Besides, this was the only way they could take! All the others got blocked off by Kai and Nya before they left!"

"Maybe his watch shorted out..." Sammie suggested, trying to think on the bright side. The master of wind shook his head.

"Possible, but I doubt it. Zane would have found a way to contact us already," he said, sighing, "We may have to head to the library."

"But what if it's that Djinn that got to them?" Nathan asked.

"I doubt it. Kai said that he may only show up when someone is by themselves. Considering that Sensei, Misako, and Lilly all went missing when alone and are believed to have been kidnapped by the Djinn, I don't think he'd go after both Lloyd and Zane right now," Hunter answered, rising from where he crouched. Sammie nodded, rising as well. _They have to be okay._

"Well, let's get going then," Nathan said, running past them both and jumping onto the next building. Both her and Hunter began to follow him, but skidded to a stop when some sort of blue net shot out of nowhere and wrapped itself around Nathan, making him trip and cry out. The orange ninja's eyes widened at the sight of his brother being caught in the netting.

"Nathan!" he shouted, running and jumping onto the building. Sammie followed him as quickly as she could, worry flooding her thoughts. As Sammie climbed onto the rooftop, Hunter ran to his brother's side. "Hold on, Nathan," he said, taking a small knife and attempting to cut his brother free. Unfortunately, when his hand and knife met the netting, he was given a small electric shock, making the master of wind recoil.

"H-Hunter...l-l-look," Nathan struggled to say, possible electrocution making him stutter. The orange ninja looked confused for a minute before rolling out of the way and dodging an oncoming net. He then dodged another, jumping to the right.

"What the heck!?" Hunter exclaimed, looking around before his eyes fell upon the culprit, a man in samurai armor with a red conical hat and a brown & gold eyepatch. His light brown, chin-length hair was unkempt yet his face was as shaven as it could get, stubble still remaining. A cigarette hung from the renegade samurai's mouth as he held some sort of net launcher, his eyes narrowed.

"Ronin!?" Sammie exclaimed in shock, joining Hunter. The man smiled.

"Been a while, huh? Last I recall, I saw you guys in that battle against the mechs," he said. The master of light narrowed her eyes.

"What's the meaning of this!? Why are you doing this!? Why did you trap Nathan in that!" Sammie shouted. Ronin continued to smirk.

"Some questions just don't have answers, sweetheart," the renegade samurai claimed before pointing the launcher straight at her and Hunter, "but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do."

Before Ronin could shoot though, Hunter blasted him with a strong gust of wind, pushing the man to the other side of the roof.

"Sammie, get Nathan outta here! I'll get rid of Patchy over here!" he told the master of light.

"But what if he catches you!?" Sammie asked, panicked.

"Just get Nathan out of here! I'll catch up!" Hunter told her before running after Ronin. Sammie could understand he wanted his brother to be safe, but Nathan would protest and want to stay so he could defend his brother, despite being trapped in the net. She had to follow Hunter's command though.

Seeing that the blue tint to the net was gone, she picked up Nathan and began to run to the next building.

"Wait, what about Hunter!?" she heard the master of water ask as she met the ledge.

"He told me to get you out of here. I'm going to follow his wishes," Sammie said calmly, jumping to the next roof. Both her and Nathan tumbled when meeting it though, the weight of Nathan making her nearly miss the ledge.

"But we can't leave him behind!" Nathan continued to protest as Sammie produced a kama from her pocket. She began to try and cut through the netting, only to find that it was made of metal wire. The master of light cursed under her breath, looking around frantically for anything that could cut metal, but found none. Nathan was going to be bound in that wire until Ronin decided to release him. Sammie picked him up again, turning just in time to see Hunter fighting Ronin.

So far, Hunter was dodging less than half of Ronin's punches, while Ronin dodged more than half of Hunter's. The orange ninja's face and hands were starting to look bruised, while Ronin didn't look like he had been in a fight at all. Before the bounty hunter could throw the next punch, Hunter pushed him away with another gust of wind. The master of wind then turned, spotting Sammie and his brother.

"What are you still doing here!? Get Nathan out of here!" he shouted. Before Sammie could protest though, she saw a wire shoot out and connect itself to Hunter. The orange ninja then yelped in pain, his whole body twitching before he fell to the ground. A satisfied smirk was on Ronin's face as he held the device that launched the wire. He then blasted a net onto Hunter, binding his hands and arms.

"Heh, Chief wasn't lying when he said this baby worked like magic," the eyepatched man smiled to himself before turning to Sammie. "Looks like you're the last one, Little Miss Sunshine."

Sammie took a defensive stance, standing in front of Nathan. This was her chance. She could prove the magazines wrong. She could show that she was just as strong has her brother. She could show the world just how great she was, just by defeating a man that was both larger than her and that had defeated two of her teammates. She could protect them and _prove her worth._

The master of light jumped back to the rooftop where Ronin stood, using a bright flash of light to blind him. She then ran to his right to confuse him, using the fact that he wore an eyepatch as an advantage. She kicked him in the side then ran to his next blind spot as he turned, looking around for her frantically. She then tipped his conical hat forward, blinding him for a brief few seconds. She used this time to pull her kama from her pockets and inflict deep cuts upon Ronin's armor. Then, she hid in his blind spot again. She could tell the man was getting frustrated, to which she smiled to herself. She could make him tire himself out like she does to Kai when sparring with him!

She then began to make cuts with her kama wherever she could, using even her spinjitzu make her move faster. Sammie was spinning Ronin in a circle, attempting to make him dizzy and tired. Though, she began to find that she was doing the same to herself too. She could feel her world spinning, and she could feel that she was beginning to lose her balance.

The master of light nearly tripped, then stumbled, the dizziness making her vision spin. She heard a short chuckle come from the renegade samurai before hearing a blast. Sammie knew he had shot a net at her, and she had less than a second before it reached her. She immediately raised her arms as high as she could, allowing the net to wrap itself around her torso and hips. Just as the electric shock started to sting her, she sprinted towards Ronin, a quick plan appearing within her mind. She beared the pain as much as she could, some of it making her yelp as she ran. Though, she caught up to the renegade samurai just in time.

"What the-!?" he began to shout before Sammie grabbed his arm, allowing the electric shock to flow through her arms and into his. She watched his hair begin to stand on end as he grunted in pain. _Hah! And the magazine articles say I'm weak! Well look at me now!_

It wasn't long before Ronin could bear the pain too, though. He forced himself to hold up the net launcher, pointed straight at Sammie.

"Sorry S-sweetheart, but one electric shock isn't going to stop this old man," he smirked before pulling the trigger, a second net wrapping itself around Sammie's chest and arms. The girl didn't have enough time to react, leaving her on the ground, twitching from multiple electric shocks. Ronin wiped sweat from his brow, sighing. "God, you kids get more annoying and peskier every time we meet."

He let out a three tone whistle before meeting his signature ship, REX, at the ledge. From there, Sammie could see someone stirring within the ship. She squinted, squirming to get a closer look, but all she could see was a glint of metal. Though, once Ronin moved, she could see it clearly, and her eyes widened in reaction.

Inside the ship sat Lloyd and Zane, who were bound like they were. It was never the police that had found them, it was Ronin. Though, a sinking feeling appeared in Sammie's gut as she realized where this was going.

 _He's gonna catch the others too!_

 _Same Time, Outskirts of Ninjago City_

The sight of Li Zhao's made my heart ache as Cass and I passed it. The reminder of when my family was actually in one piece made me yearn to walk in to it again. I wanted to smell the polished wood and pots of noodles again. I missed the sounds of plates clattering against each other and the sound of my sister's voice as she complained about having to wash the dishes for the seventh time. The sound of my mother's humming as she watched her soap operas. The smell of the cleaning solution my father used on the counter. Despite some of the bad memories I had there, I wanted to go back. I didn't care if I would have a money-loving, judgemental father again, or have to deal with Uncle Clouse's random visits. I'd go back. I'd go back to just seem them all again. Just to see everyone in perfect harmony. I knew it was just wishful thinking though. There's no way I'd ever be able to go back in time. I'm not Xavier.

"Remind me again why I have to wear this?" Cass asked, pulling me out of my thoughts as she poked at the makeup I had applied to her face earlier.

"Well, you know how celebrities are nearly unrecognizable without makeup? I'm reversing that! Since you never wear any, they won't expect you to and they'll think you're a different person," I smiled, proud of my own cleverness. Cass shrugged.

"Okay then. What about you? Are you going without it then?" she asked, stuffing stray locks of hair back into her hat. I nodded.

"I think that Nya should have done the same thing, but she didn't. Hopefully she keeps that wig on," I said, stretching as we walked. Cass nodded in agreement.

"Do you think everyone else's missions are going along smoothly?" the master of wind asked me. I shrugged.

"Most likely. We had a plan that was pretty well set-up. It should go along well," I told her, before looking down at the bracelet I was given with the chip in it, "Let me check." I tapped on it's gem a few times before trying to communicate, saying a simple "Hello?" before waiting. After a few minutes, no response came from the other lines. I started feel nervous.

"Hmm. Maybe they're busy?" Cass assumed. Yeah, that could be it. Yet, this feeling in my gut kept telling me that they weren't. That something was wrong. How could it all go wrong, though? We had this plan under control!

"I-I'm not sure," I stuttered, panic beginning to take over. It was all supposed to go smoothly. Now, it didn't seem like it. Someone should have at least answered! Something isn't right! "Someone should have at least replied."

"There could be problem with the communicator," Cass suggested, walking over and taking a look at the bracelet on my wrist. She picked up my wrist and analyzed it, turning it occasionally. "Huh, nothing looks wrong," she said finally, staring at the bracelet with a confused look. Suddenly, a click startled both of us. I could see a car parked on the side of the road, and something metallic pointed at the back of Cass's head. She froze in place.

"I'd say the problem isn't the communicator," a familiar voice said from behind Cass. I could recognize that stupid voice anywhere. It could only belong to Ronin, that stinky pirate. No one else.

"Ronin. I could recognize your foul stench from anywhere," I said, narrowing my eyes. The renegade samurai stepped into view, looking offended.

"I appreciate the compliments, Pipsqueak, but you're in some serious trouble," he said, pressing whatever he was holding closer to the back of Cass's head. She was beginning to look panicked. "And don't even try anything, Windy. Don't think I don't know about your emo uncle."

"Now, you both can come with me peacefully, or I can use force. Your choice," he told us. Cass looked straight at me, her eyes asking if I knew what to do. To be honest really, I didn't know. I was just as panicked as she was. All I knew was to not go with Ronin and to not trust anyone outside of the team. _You could always just kill him. This problem would be over. I can give you the energy._ I shook my head. No, what am I thinking!? I'll just have to think up something on the fly.

I paused for a moment before unleashing a cloud of darkness, pulling Cass onto the ground with me as I heard Ronin shoot something from what he was holding.

"Quickly! Blow him away!" I told Cass, trying to make the cloud around us all darker. I watched a hole suddenly appear as Ronin flew out of the cloud. We both got up immediately, running down the street as fast as we could.

"Where are we going to go!?" Cass asked as we turned a corner, running as fast as our legs could carry us. I honestly had no idea where to go. I was just running aimlessly, trying to escape Patchy the Pirate as best I could. I just wanted to survive.

My hat flew off my head as we ran, some civilians recognizing me as we ran. I ignored them though, trying to keep running as I began to run out of breath. I could see that Cass was running out of breath as well, and she was starting to become slower. I had to think of something fast. _What would mom do!?_

Before I could do or think of anything though, I felt something wrap around my ankles and pull them together, causing me to trip and scrape my chin on the sidewalk. Cass skidded to a stop, cursing under her breath as she tried to carry me along with her. She was stopped though by a net wrapping around her arms and torso. The master of wind let go of me, trying to free herself from the net. Her attempts proved futile though, resulting in the net giving off a blue glow before giving her an electric shock. I was both guilty and happy that the rope tied around my ankles didn't do the same.

Using the first idea that came to mind to fight Ronin with, I lifted myself into a handstand, not caring how heavy the weights tied to the rope was. I turned myself to face the renegade samurai, stray pebbles from the sidewalk digging into my palms. A smirk was on his face as he approached. This backstabbing jerk...

"Why are you doing this!? You were an ally a year ago!" I shouted, feeling the blood rush to my head. Ronin chuckled.

"God, you sound like Sammie," he said, brushing stray hairs out of his face. He pointed what I believed to be the net launcher at me, his expression unapologetic. "Can't believe I'd have to gun you down someday, Pipsqueak. I expected you to refrain from going rogue, unlike your friends."

"We didn't do anything! We were framed!" I argued, my arms growing tired from holding myself up like this. I needed to figure something out, quick!

Ronin pointed the launcher at me, looking a little disappointed, but determined. "That's what they all say."

I tried to think up something fast, resulting in one idea appearing in my head. _Remember your other abilities. They are much more powerful that your elemental abilities._ Yeah, my Dark Arts abilities! Who cares what Sensei Wu says anymore!? These could get me out of this situation in a jiffy!

Laying my fingers flat on the ground, I let the intricate black lines flow through the sidewalk to Ronin. The lines wrapped themselves around the man, even stretching to his arms and torso. A smile came to my face as he struggled to free himself. _Deliver the final blow. End it all._ Before I could though, he managed to shoot the net, the metallic wires wrapping around me and pulling me to the ground. My fingertips lost contact with the ground, making the lines disappear. The smile was on Ronin's face.

"I told you guys to comply nicely. People who were framed wouldn't run away either," he said, picking both Cass and I up. I watched my friend squirm and try to free herself, but her attempts were futile again, as we were carried to what I recognized as REX.

Once Ronin opened the doors and threw us inside, I could recognize some of our friends immediately. Sammie, Hunter, Nathan, Zane, and Lloyd. They were here. It was at that moment that I feared for my other friends. I want to warn them, but my bracelet no longer works. I can't escape now.

All I can do is hope.

 **19-8-5 4-9-4 14-15-20 8-5-5-4 20-8-5 23-1-18-14-9-14-7**


	7. Chapter 7

_The Badlands, Kryptarium Prison_

One hour. It only took Ronin one hour to find everyone. It was almost as if he had a tracker on everyone, as if he were some sort of bloodhound who had everyone's scent. It wasn't long before we all were piled into the cargo hold of REX and flown to Krytarium Prison, where we were handed over and left behind by our former ally. I couldn't believe him. After all we've done, he does this to us. Ugh, this is why I feel I can't trust anyone anymore. But why did I even trust Ronin in the first place? He was a filthy liar anyway.

So now we walk through the loud halls of this prison, vengestone cuffs binding my wrists together, as well as everyone else's. My prison uniform is loose, and smells of permanent marker for some reason. I hate it already. At least they let me keep my bow in my hair. I'm afraid I'd have to kill someone if they took it. No one is to touch that bow except for me. _No one._

I've started to miss Lilly even more, especially since our current situation would have been something she could have gotten out of easily, considering her powers weren't hereditary. She could have frozen the guards and broke us free, but no. Kai had to screw it all up. He just had to drive her away! He just had to lead her to getting captured by that stupid Djinn. Ugh, at least I have this voice in my head that's keeping me company, the one that tells me what to do. Though, I have no idea where it came from or why it tells me to do all these violent things, but I enjoy it's company. Maybe it's my mother. Maybe she's hiding in my head, telling me the right thing to do.

I watched Lloyd and Cole try to break the cuffs around their wrists as we walked, trying to pull them apart as if they were plastic toy cuffs. Hah, why would they even try that anyway? We'd just be shot down by the guards and it'd be the end of our days. As much as I admired trying to see if Lloyd would have any muscle bulging from beneath his prison uniform as he tried to break the cuffs, I honestly wished he would stop so we wouldn't get shot or something. Though, when he did stop, I wished he would do it again, since I didn't see any muscle...yet. I'll just have to wait until I see him shirtless someday then.

"I'll ask them if they have a water fountain," I heard Nathan whisper next to me. I turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow.

"What?"

"You looked a little thirsty, so I thought I'd ask them if they had a water fountain, since these cuffs won't let me use my powers," he explained to me. I was a bit confused. How did I look thirsty?

Suddenly, we were walking faster, the sounds of shouting prisoners drowning out the sounds of my friends talking. I was starting to lose what was left of my temper.

"Could you dinguses just shut up!? For God's sake! Can a woman hear her comrades for once!?" I screamed, glaring at the prisoners. Their shouting didn't cease though, and I could feel that I was gonna lose it soon. Could they just supply me with headphones or something!? _We'll have to exterminate them once we're freed._

Our guide led us into a bigger prison room, hundreds of cells surrounding a circular floor with a watchtower in the middle. The smell of sweat and stone filled my nose as we entered, my nose crinkling in disgust. I had a feeling this was where we would be staying, and I already hate it. _How dare they._ The great thing though was that it was much quieter. I could finally hear my friends, and I wasn't really losing my temper much anymore.

Our guide now took us to the third level of cells, leading us down the walkway. A few prisoners spat at us, shouted obscenities, made rude gestures with their hands, or even creepily smiled. I didn't feel quite safe anymore, and I was even scared that something bad was going to happen to me or my friends. Oh, why did Ronin have to leave us here!? I feel like I'm in some level of hell right now, and I haven't even reached my cell. I hope they don't separate us.

"It's no problem, Warden," Lloyd spoke to our guide, "We'll do our time until all of this is straightened out. Like I said before, we were framed!"

"That's what they all say," the Warden chuckled as he began to look for the right key to the cell he stood in front of. I glared at him, a little peeved. Why does no one believe us!? Couldn't they have done an investigation!? Ugh, this is so frustrating! Why can't anything go our way!?

While I was ranting in my head, I didn't notice a hand wrap around my arm and pull me towards the bars. It was only when I hit the bars that I started screaming and thrashing. Whoever was on the other side continued to try and pull me through, tugging violently on my uniform and hair. The Warden immediately turned around with my friends and ran over, as well as a guard. The guard smacked the prisoner's hands with a metal staff like mine as the Warden pulled me away from the cell, my thoughts running amuck with panic. _Kill it, Seiko! Kill it!_

"Back off, Barry! You're not chopping anyone up today!" the guard yelled, smacking the prisoner's hands again. I saw Lloyd run over as the guard did this, checking my arms and face.

"Are you alright?" he asked, looking worried. I was still panting from the attack, but I nodded, not wanting to make him worry. He looked at the prisoner's cell as though he were ready to shank the guy, then he looked back at me, still looking a little worried. Then, despite the cuffs binding his hands, he looped his arms around me, pulled me close and placed his chin atop my head. I sighed.

"If only that stupid Djinn hadn't decided to ruin our week, huh?" I said, still shaken from the attack. I felt Lloyd's chin move on my head, signifying that he nodded. I honestly ashamed now of those slightly perverted thoughts from earlier now. Why should I care how his body looks? _Why are you focused on this!? Why didn't you use the Dark Arts to free yourself from the prisoner's grasp!?_ the voice shouted in my head, making me cringe. Well, I can't always activate the Dark Arts on a whim! I gotta put my mind to it, and at that time I wasn't thinking, I was panicking! My mind can only do so much!

The Warden herded us all into our cell and shut the door, locking it once he made sure we all were in.

"Enjoy your stay, Ninja," he said with false politeness before walking off. It wasn't long before we heard someone hit the bars of the cell next to us and yell "Barry you've got to be kidding me! I'm gonna chop your hands off if you don't stop!" The Warden being caught by Barry like I had was pretty funny, but I wasn't laughing. I just laid my head on Lloyd's shoulder, sighing as we all sat down in the cell. I was already more exhausted than anything and it's not even the end of the day! Is this what prison does to people? I have to admit, I'm missing the freedom to move my wrists where I please. I actually felt like one of those dolls who's movements were limited. Like, you couldn't bend my knees and elbows or something.

"Well, at least the Djinn can't get us now," Sammie smiled nervously, most likely trying to lighten the mood like she usually does.

"Yeah, but we can't stop him now either," Cole sighed, phasing through the only bed in the cell. It just looked like a slab of bedrock with a lumpy, beaten, stained pillow lying on top of it. I was sure I saw bloodstains on that pillow.

"Wait, Cole, if you can phase through that, can't you just phase through the bars?" Nathan asked, trying to get comfortable. I could tell the hard walls and floor were already making his back hurt. Cole sighed.

"Yeah, but that guard in the watchtower is watching us, and I know he's got a water gun up there. You can see the neon gun from here!" he told us, pointing at the watchtower. Surely enough, there was a glimpse of a neon pink gun up in the tower, and the middle aged guard glaring down at our cell. I looked down at my sneakers then, losing bits of hope.

"I kinda wish Lilly were here. We could have broken out," I admitted. I thought I saw Kai look up.

"Yeah, but we don't know if vengestone affects her powers too, since she gained them from the Elemental Forge. Even so, breaking out wouldn't be an easy task," Nya replied, shaking her head to move some hair out of her face. She was right. Though, when have we ever known anything about Lilly? It was enough that when they were checking out identities they called for "Lillian Janvier" instead of "Lillian Genisis". I've had a suspicion that she isn't telling us the complete truth on everything. I should probably address that when I see her again.

I found myself staring up at the cell's ceiling now, fatigue taking over my body. The voice in my head wasn't talking to me now, but I couldn't help but be curious. Is the voice really my mother? I proceeded to ask it through my thoughts, though it took a minute before it answered me. _Yes, yes I am. I'm surprised you figured it out so quickly, Seiko,_ the voice didn't quite sound like her, but it was close. Maybe the line of communication from the afterlife to the mortal plane altered voices. I was overjoyed though. My mother is speaking to me again! _Remind me, if we ever see that orange-haired boy again, we give him the same treatment he gave me,_ the voice told me, sounding a bit angry. I nodded. Of course. If I ever saw that slimy dingus again, I'd kick him into the center of the Earth!

When I snapped out of my thoughts, I noticed that Lloyd was no longer next to me. Instead, he was standing at the cell's bars, communicating with a man who had a large, mechanical arm. One of his eyes was replaced with a piece similar to a cyborg's cybernetic eye. The master of energy had quite the friendly smile on, but this man he was talking to didn't look so friendly. I was instantly alarmed and had my guard up.

"I'm the Mechanic, and I've got a bone to pick with you," he claimed, introducing himself. I could see a few prisoners behind him. How did they all get out of their cells!? Why isn't the guard in the watchtower doing anything!? I started inching closer to the bars.

"Well, that's one more bone than what you've got in your entire arm," Lloyd's friendly smile faded, and I could tell he was trying his best to look serious. "Let me guess, you don't have much of a spine either."

"I used to repair noodle trucks for Master Chen and his underground orginization," he informed us, before flicking Lloyd on the chest, "When you put him out of business, you put me out of business."

I reached the bars, standing up and glaring at the Mechanic. Who does this guy think he is!?

"Then, by my calculations, that was your own error. Working for a crime boss isn't a very reliable career choice," Zane told him, walking up to the other side of Lloyd. Hah, you don't say, Zane. My uncle didn't really think about that.

"Well, by my observations, actions have consequences," the Mechanic said, glaring at us. This guy was getting old fast.

"Yeah, maybe you should have heeded those words instead of getting the short end of the stick!" I smiled. I heard the voice in my head make a disappointed sigh as the Mechanic just gave a confused look.

"What's with this lost child?" he asked. I glared at him. Excuse me!?

"I'm not a child!" I shouted, "I'm the niece of one of the most powerful Dark Arts users in the history of Ninjago!" Okay, now I was just bluffing. I had no idea if Uncle Clouse was the most powerful or not. God, I hope this guy doesn't have his history smarts.

The Mechanic blinked. "Well, you kind of look like Chen's little dog. The man with the ponytail who supervised us all and stuck by his side constantly." The description oddly enough fit Uncle Clouse. I was ninety percent sure he was talking about my uncle. "But as I was saying, you have to pay."

His cybernetic eye fell on Zane. "This nindroid...it's got spare parts. I could use a few in a place like this."

Lloyd's eyes narrowed. "And I could turn you into spare parts right now, but as you can see I'm refraining from that."

The Mechanic chuckled, a smug look on his face. "I like this kid," he smiled, showing decaying teeth. I recoiled in disgust. God, don't they supply them with toothbrushes here!?

"Hey! Back to your cells!" a guard shouted as the Mechanic and his accomplices ran off. "Go on! You don't need to be aggrivatin' anyone else!"

Lloyd, Zane, and I returned to where we sat in the cell, Lloyd letting out an exhausted sigh and resting his head against mine. Great to know we have to keep Zane from dropping the soap in this place. What next? We have to protect Cole from people who want to catch him or something?

"Well, at least we know who to avoid now," Cass said. I nodded. Suddenly, we all heard Hunter giggling. All of us turned to look at him.

"What's so funny?" Kai questioned. Hunter continued to giggle. The orange ninja moved his leg, revealing weird doodles scratched into the floor.

"Whoever did this scratched a picture of some dude as a chicken and another guy as the egg. It's beautiful," he continued to laugh, then pointed at a scratch doodle of a lumpy shirtless man in a speedo and a really terrible looking horse. "These are great! I must meet the artist behind them!"

I smiled, giggling myself at the doodles. I guess the prison life does have it's ups.

 _A few hours later_

After receiving a cake that Cole ate whole and having a brief visit with Dareth, to which we found out the cake was our only way out, we headed to the cafeteria. I was disappointed, knowing how close we were to escaping. If only Cole hadn't have eaten it! Yet, if he didn't eat it, Cass more than likely would have eaten it, knowing her love for cake. I watched the cafeteria lady plop some foreign substance onto my tray, the substance smelling like mashed potatoes. I doubted it was anything of the sort though.

I moved along, allowing Kai to move forward to get his serving of the gross substance. The lady dug deeper into the bowl that held it all though, giving Kai more than any of us.

"I'm givin' you a lil' extra 'cause yer my favorite," she smiled before withdrawing a folded piece of paper from her pocket and handing it to him, "Name's Trisha, but you can call me anytime, sweetie. Here's my number."

Kai nodded, trying to not look disgusted as he set the paper down on an empty part of his tray. When he tried to scoot to the next server though, she placed a hand on his.

"Watch yourself in the showers, boy," Trisha winked before smiling, her cat-eye glasses sliding down her nose. Kai looked disturbed and a bit creeped out now.

"Move along, Karma. Quickly," he whispered to me. I nodded, moving over so he could get as far away from that woman as possible. I'd probably do the same if I was in his situation.

"Well, you did say you wanted 'special treatment'," Nya reminded her brother as we all moved along. Kai made a disgusted noise.

"Not like that though. I know I've probably got some really bad karma right now but I didn't want it to reach this level," he whispered, shivering. Hah, damn right you have bad karma, Kai. Maybe you'll think twice next time before letting your anger control your actions. The only thing I wouldn't permit is that lady touching you though. She's creepier than Yang's Temple!

"Ugh, all the bad guys are out there, and all the good guys are in here! This is ridiculous!" Jay complained, pieces of his food dribbling onto the floor as we walked to a table.

"What was it your favorite movie character would say?" Cole asked, levitating over to Jay's side. " 'Fair isn't a word where I come from!', right?"

"It's 'fear isn't a word where I come from'," Lloyd corrected him, "He used to say it a lot in the comics. Honestly, the movies aren't as good as the comics."

"Now's not the time for movie criticism, Lloyd!" Jay snapped, looking grumpy. Cole tapped his muffin against his tray, making a disgusted face when it made tinging noises when it hit the tray.

"Is this even a muffin!?" the ghostly ninja inspected the muffin. Cass shook her head.

"It's probably a rock covered in styrofoam or something," she commented. Hunter nodded.

"That's believable, considering where we are."

Suddenly, a man who looked similar to a chef shoved himself between Jay and Cole, looking peeved. He must have heard their comments.

"Earth Ninja, no one likes you," he claimed, before spitting on him. The black ninja cringed, possibly being burned by the spit. Cass shuffled up to the chef.

"No one asked for your opinion, idjit!" she shouted, looking just as peeved. The chef narrowed his eyes at her.

"Who are you even supposed to be?" he questioned. Cass's gaze narrowed as well.

"The person who's about to shove that filthy spoon of yours up your a-" she was interrupted by the chef just walking away like she was nothing. The female master of wind balled her hands into fists.

"The idjit just walked away because I just scared him," she smiled, looking proud of herself. I saw Cole smile as well.

"Don't worry about him. He's a Jay fan," Trisha's voice and presence startled us all. Kai immediately scooted away as far as he could, avoiding being seen by the lavender-haired woman.

"Still doesn't give him an excuse to hurt Cole like that," Cass still sounded peeved, glancing at her friend's arm.

"Let's just move along..." Nathan said, looking a bit frightened of the woman. He pushed us all gently, making us all move forward. Looks like he's just as scared of her as Kai is. Lloyd proceeded to a table where many older prisoners sat. He put on his best friendly smile.

"Hey guys, care for some ninja company?" he asked in a cheery tone. The men grumbled and moved, leaving the table to ourselves. I immediately took a seat, staring down at my disgusting mush.

"I guess not all can be fans," Zane said, taking a seat next to Hunter. The orange ninja shrugged as he bit into his mush. It wasn't long before he turned around and spat it back out onto the floor. I found myself zoning out from my friends' conversation as I looked around the cafeteria, scanning the area for any signs of the Mechanic. I could only find dozens of worn and exhausted faces, up until my eyes fell on an odd, but mysterious person. His fiery orange hair almost touched his shoulders and he had vengestone cuffs on his wrists. It was when one of his eyes looked in my direction that I recognized who he was. I could recognize those navy blue eyes from anywhere. He must have recognized me too, though, because he flashed one sinister-like smile at me before turning back to his food. I couldn't believe it.

 _Alex is here. My mother's killer is here._


	8. Chapter 8

No...I don't even remember hearing anything about him being arrested. Why is he here!? _Why isn't he dead!?_ Panic and anger flooded my mind, and I could feel adrenaline daring to pour into my veins. Daring to give me the strength to allow me to dart across the room and stab that smug bastard in the throat with my fork. I couldn't move though. I was in shock. I saw him look at me again, the pink glow flashing in his eyes for only a brief second. Alex knows we're here, and this could only make our stay even more unpleasant! My guard was up now. Something told me that a brawl may break, just with the kind of look he was giving me. _We will eliminate him._

The sudden clanking of a fork hitting the tabletop startled me, making me break my stare from my mother's killer. "Did someone say Djinn!?" the voice was similar to that of a sailor's yet it wasn't. I turned to my left to see a man with a fork serving as the bottom for him peg leg. He wore the stereotypical pirate hat and eyepatch, yet his mustache was groomed neatly. A deep scar peeked out from under his silk eyepatch, signifying he had been in many a battle. Since when did Ninjago have legit pirates!? And what are they doing in Krytarium Prison!?

"You best not be speaking about Nadakhan the Djinn," the pirate went on, his one green eye wide. Lloyd looked at all of us, then back to the pirate, his eye colors switching again when he blinked.

"His name is 'Nadakhan the Djinn'!?" Kai questioned, raising an eyebrow. That's a pretty odd name for a Djinn. I expected something like Jafar or Abdul, but hey, my name's pretty odd for someone like me, too. My nickname that is.

"Hey, it's Captain Soto! The first captain of the Destiny's Bounty!" Jay smiled, turning away from the mush he was attempting to eat. I remember them telling me our flying home, or ship, used to be owned by ancient pirates, but what's this guy doing alive!? Did they not disappear when Garmadon's staff was destroyed years ago? Cole told me they did.

"And it's Jay! The whiny, sniveling pajama man who says everything obvious!" Soto exclaimed, glaring at the redhead. I felt bad for laughing, considering my teammate's expression, but I couldn't help it. Everyone else but Zane was laughing anyway.

"Why can't anyone here be nice?" Jay whimpered, turning back to his mush. Has Jay ever seen the movies? No one in a prison is ever nice! Not even in the stereotypical ones!

"But who be you six?" he pointed a golden hook at the new members, including Nya and I. I would have thought for sure he had seen Nya before. "We have two pajama men...and...uh...pajama women?"

"I guess you could say that," Nya shrugged. Nathan nodded.

"Our gi aren't pajamas though," he told the pirate. Soto glared at him.

"I call them pajamas so they are pajamas. Therefore, you are pajama man!" he pointed a hook at Nathan, the male master of water putting both hands up and shrinking away.

"Okay okay!" he exclaimed before Soto withdrew his hook.

"Though you," Soto pointed at Nya, "You look really familiar for some reason."

"Uh, I'm sure you've seen the Samurai before?" I said, but the pirate shook his head.

"Um, could we find out a little more about Nadacaca before we start comparing Nya to people?" Hunter questioned, raising his hand. Soto turned to him.

"It's _Nadakhan_ ," he corrected the orange ninja.

"Yeah, whatever. What do you know about Nadakringle?" Hunter asked again, ignoring Soto's correction. The pirate sighed.

"Well, I was the one who caught him," Soto started, taking a seat next to Lloyd.

"So, you were the one who trapped him in the teapot?" Kai asked.

"Obviously. I don't think you can catch a Djinn any other way," Cass answered for Soto. I had to agree. You can't really cage a genie, or Djinn, like you cage a bird. I know that enough from movies.

"But how though?" Sammie asked.

"Catching a Djinn is harder than steering a galleon upstream during a storm with a leaky hull," Soto claimed, his pirate lingo making it harder for me to tell how hard it was, "but let me try to articulate me words, so you can visualize it."

The pirate continued to explain in detail how his pirate crew defeated Nadakhan's on one stormy night. He told us in detail of how Nadakhan was the most feared pirate of the high seas, and how his powers were extraordinary because he was from another realm. He was just about to go into detail about how he stopped Nadakhan when suddenly a fist slamming on the table interrupted him.

"Well, well, well, looks like you've saved us some seats," the Mechanic's gruff voice made me turn my head, just in time to see him sit down on my end. I was happy I had Sammie sitting next to me to separate me from him but at the same time I felt bad for her. "Now let's talk about those spare parts."

"Not now, Sprocket-Arm, we're dealing with first-tier bad guys here. Whatever bullshit you're interrupting Soto for isn't anything important. You look like you have just enough parts to function just fine anyway!" Cole exclaimed, ticked. The Mechanic glared at him. I could see a crowd forming. The brawl I sensed earlier. It's going to happen.

"Bullshit?" the Mechanic exclaimed, holding up a rusted spoon. "The only bullshit I see is the stuff flowing from your mouth!"

"Look at that, pajama people. They have weapons. You don't have a fair chance," Soto snickered. Cole smiled.

"Yeah, it's almost a fair fight." Right at that moment we all stood up, throwing our food in the crowd's direction. My friends used their trays as shields as I threw mine at a prisoner running my way. Though, just as I threw it, I was tackled. I quickly opened my eyes and caught a fork that was aimed straight for my chest. I wasn't surprised on who it's owner was.

"Why hello, pink ninja. It's been a while, hasn't it?" Alex smiled as he held me down and tried to overpower my hand. The fork trembled in his hand.

"What the heck are you doing here!?" I exclaimed, trying to push the fork away from me. The master of psionics smiled.

"Isn't it obvious? They caught me after that day I revealed my creations to the world. Of course, they wanted to public to believe I was dead so no one would worry about me breaking out and murdering a few more people. It's what the police do," Alex answered, "I thought you would have known that by now, considering how the police had you and your teammates framed."

He wasn't wrong, but the fact that he had a fork pointed at my face right now didn't convince me to trust him either. He began to speak again, but a prisoner ran up to him, tray raised high. Alex's head whipped around, and I watched a pink glow emit from his eyes as they met the prisoner's.

"Excuse me! Can't you see I'm busy here!? Go bash someone else's head in!" he shouted. The prisoner hesitated, wide-eyed. What the heck's going on!? The prisoner then obliged, walking away. Before Alex could turn back to me, a quick plan formed in my mind and I put it into action as fast as I could. I took the fork from Alex's hand and thrust it straight into his arm. I heard the sound of the points of the fork breaking his skin and making him cry out. Oddly enough, I was enjoying this much more than I should have. _Yes, Seiko, that's good._ I then kneed him in the groin and pulled my legs out from under him, curling myself into a ball.

"Every...time..." he cringed as blood began to stain the fabric around the fork. I seized the chance and kicked him in the face, allowing me to get up and run. I looked around frantically for my friends, only hearing Zane scream "STOP!" as I searched. I turned to look for my android friend but Alex returning swinging his fists as far as his cuffs would allow. I dodged all his swings, trying to decide on how to knock him unconscious. _Go for the killing blow, Seiko. He's weak. Use your cuffs._ I looked down at my vengestone cuffs then back to Alex, who was beginning to look tired. I knew what to do.

I slid behind him and looped my chained hands over his head. I pulled my hands back and allowed the short chain to dig into the master of psionics' throat. He fell back onto me, but I didn't care. I pulled back harder, making the cuffs and chain form a noose-like shape around his neck. I then let the intricate lines from the Dark Arts wrap around his throat, tighter than the cuffs' chain. I heard him gag and choke as he tried to pull my cuffs of his neck. A smile came to my face. _Keep trying_. _All you'll do is fail again...and again...and again. Nankai datte._ I let it tighten, hoping it would strangle him before the fight was broken up by the guards. I swore I could see at least one tear streaming down Alex's face. This brought me joy. _That's right. You regret what you've done now. You're probably ready to beg for mercy. I'm not giving you any though. Maybe you should have thought about that before killing my mother! Now die! Just die!_

"The fun is over!" I heard a police officer shout. I immediately tightened the lines around Alex's throat, making him choke and gasp in response. _Come on! Just die already!_ I was suddenly pulled away though, my cuffs going over Alex's head and the lines disappearing as my hands lost contact with his throat. He sat up, coughing and choking as I struggled to free myself from an unknown person's grasp. The master of psionics looked back at me as I was dragged away, panting as he rubbed his neck. He looked shaken. Four thin, red lines were left on the skin of his throat. I was so close.

I walked with my friends out of the cafeteria and down a new hallway. I heard Lloyd yell for someone, but I was out of it. I was so close to killing Alex. _So close_. If only those stupid police officers didn't stop me from doing the world a favor! I hate this place even more than before.

"Karma, I hope you know what you did was not the right way to go about things," Zane spoke up, glancing at me. I raised an eyebrow. Excuse me!?

"What do you mean? Alex killed my mother, Zane. He perfectly deserved that," I argued. The nindroid sighed.

"Despite the paths we take as ninja, violence is not always the answer, and forgiveness is better than revenge. Despite violating me, I would forgive the Mechanic if I knew he truly meant it," Zane told me. I turned away. No, if someone does that it's unforgivable! It's why we give criminals the death sentence! It's why the villains will almost always die at the end of movies! They did something unforgivable!

"Zane, he killed my mother. It's more extreme than someone opening up your panel and messing with your insides or whatever! Besides, you let Jay do it all the time!" I snapped. The android began to look disappointed, maybe even a little infuriated.

"Karma, someone opening my panel without my consent is the android equivalent of being raped. Jay has my consent when he opens my panel to fix anything. The Mechanic did not. He did something just as unforgivable as Alex did, but I will forgive him if he gives a heartfelt apology and never does it again. Though, I would not like to approach him ever again either," Zane told me calmly, despite his slightly infuriated expression. I opened my mouth to protest, but a guard yelled to be quiet. I pouted. Sure, that's what you think, Zane, but I see it in an entirely different point of view! _Who cares what the robot thinks?_

 _Later_

I sat against the stone wall of our new underground cell, the damp smell of it filling my nose. My hands were chained against the wall, and the guards had considered separating Sammie and I from the group because of our hostility. I don't get why they keep assuming Sammie as hostile, but I think it's because of what happened to the helicopters. I don't know. Lloyd was plotting to break us out of here so we could get a map from Captain Soto, but it's taking forever. I just want to get out of this wretched place.

"This has to literally be our lowest point," Jay commented miserably, looking at the floor.

"It doesn't help us any that Lloyd talked about the plan in front of the guards, too. They probably heightened the security here," Cass commented, staring up at the bars overhead. Cole nodded.

"Sorry, but I thought they couldn't hear us," Lloyd apologized.

"Well, on the bright side, if we were never arrested we would have never talked to Captain Soto," Nya said, to which Sammie nodded. True. Yet I wish we were never arrested so I didn't have to face Alex again.

"If only we could use our powers again," Zane sighed, staring up at the overhead bars. Again, why I wish Lilly was here.

"Well, first things first," Lloyd withdrew a fork from the waistband of his pants, to which most of us raised an eyebrow.

"Um, Lloyd, what exactly are you going to do with a fork?" Nathan questioned. The green ninja smiled. He inserted the points of the fork into the lock of the first cuff and managed to open it, then he unlocked the second one.

"Not everything I learned at Darkley's is useless," he said proudly before standing up and freeing us with his powers. I watched the cuffs around my wrists shatter and a smile came to my face. I'm free.

"Great! We got our powers back!" Jay exclaimed, allowing lightning to dance from his fingertips into the air, "Now how do we get out of this hole!?"

Lloyd explained his plan as quickly as he could, first having Cole float through the bars and pick the lock, freeing us. Then we split up, running through the prison as silently as we could and staying out of sight, searching for Soto. It helped us even more that both Jay and I took out the security cameras. Once Kai melted the bars and freed Soto, we found out his peg leg was replaced with a bicycle horn, decreasing our luck. There goes traveling quietly. Alarms were going off as we all ran down the hallway and Soto's "peg leg" wasn't helping at all. Zane then quickly turned around and froze the hallway, making the policemen and guards following us slide and fall and Nathan pushed them away using waves. We then ran to a dead end and Cole broke a hole in the wall. We all crawled through with Kai being last, who used a stolen poster to cover up the hole. We crawled into the underground of the prison and jumped pipe to pipe, following Lloyd despite the slipperiness of the pipes.

"We're gonna make our exit through the sewer pipes!" Lloyd notified us to Jay's dismay. He immediately jumped in, despite the fact that Sammie was still struggling to maintain her balance on the second pipe. I could see the warden and two police officers standing on the first pipe, watching both us and Sammie. The master of light turned to look at them, then back at us, panicked. I saw a worried expression come to Nathan's face.

"Sammie! Run!" he shouted, stepping forward. Soto put a hand on his shoulder.

"We'll have to leave her! There's nothing we can do!" he told him. Nathan shook his head, still looking worried. He glanced back to Sammie, who finally made it onto the third pipe, but the officers were closely behind her. She looked back up at us.

"Guys, wait!" she yelled as we were pushed into the sewer pipe by Soto. Just as I was pushed in by the pirate, I swore I could see tears in her eyes, but I couldn't go back.

Never before had I felt more guilty.

 _A few seconds after Karma's departure_

Nathan stood, frozen. He didn't know what to do. He desperately wanted to save Sammie, his dear crush, but Soto was urging him to leave, which he wanted to do too. He could see tears glistening in Sammie's eyes as she watched everyone leave reluctantly. It was breaking his heart. He didn't understand why his friends didn't stay to save her, but maybe it was for the best. These officers are armed anyway, and they were too close. There was no way they could save her without someone falling. But maybe...

"Let's go, Pajama Man! There's nothing we can do!" Soto shouted, holding the opening to the pipe open. Nathan sighed, accepting what he had to do. _Okay, I'll do it.._

He turned and walked over to the opening, meeting Soto. Before the pirate could say anything though, Nathan pushed him into the pipe and slammed the opening shut, turning around to face the guards. _Alright, let's do this._

He sprinted over to the pipes and jumped to each one quickly, picking Sammie up on the third pipe. Then, while in midair, he turned and stuck out a hand, and unleashed thousands of waves of water, pushing the officers away. He then used Airjitzu unknowingly to land near the sewer pipe, panting. He did it, but it's not over. He glared up at the officers, who were jumping back on the pipes, soaked to the bone. He was going to have to fight again.

"Nathan..." he heard Sammie say. He looked down, his expression softening. He saw her smiling, wiping away tears. He wasn't sure at this point if his heart was breaking or beating faster than normal. Probably both. "Thank you...for staying..."

The master of light reached up and pulled his head down, making his lips connect with hers. The boy stood frozen, surprised as his face became red. He didn't know whether he'd faint or fly high into the sky. _One of my dreams just came true! It's actually happening!_ He heard an officer approaching, but he just stuck his hand out and washed him away, melting into Sammie's kiss. After a few seconds, they pulled away, looking at each other with smiles for a brief moment before turning back to their problem. The warden and his officers stood a few feet away from them, batons extended. A determined look appeared on Nathan's face as he was determined to impress Sammie again.

He ran forward, charging up more waves, but the warden ran right up to him. He felt a jab in his ribcage and then an electrical shock that sent pain throughout his entire body. He cried out before falling to the ground, twitching. He laid there, watching the warden approach Sammie. The master of water struggled to get up, but he found himself paralyzed. _No!_

He only got to see Sammie defend herself for a few seconds before losing consciousness.


	9. Chapter 9

Nya's powers gave us a boost as we slid down the sewer pipe, making this smelly escape actually seem like a water slide. I didn't enjoy it much though. I'm probably going to smell disgusting after this. Ew. It wasn't long before we all slid out of the pipe and onto the muddy ground, Kai and Cass both holding Cole as high above their heads as they could. He looked to be in one piece.

"So they pump all their sewage onto the ground outside the place? Gross," Cass commented, using a hand to pinch her nose as she held Cole above her head. I had to agree, but wouldn't you expect a place like this to do that? It wards off curious visitors and besides, Kryptarium Prison is out in The Badlands! There's no sewage treatment plant nearby! Though, the thought of the area around this place smelling like feces and chemical-ridden water made me want to throw up. I hope I lost my sense of smell.

"At least we made it!" Jay stood up, cheering. Sewage water dripped from his hair, and I really didn't want to know what was in that water. I heard Hunter sigh.

"Yeah, but a couple of us didn't," Cole said, turning to look at his best friend and then to Hunter.

"Please tell me we're going back for Nathan and Sammie," the orange ninja said, looking back at the sewage pipe we had slid out of. Soto shook his head.

"Ye have to be crazy to try an' break back into there. You'll just get caught," the pirate answered him, his bicycle-horn peg leg honking as he walked forward. Hunter frowned.

"Call me crazy all you want but my brother's still in there! I'm not leaving him behind! We aren't going to leave Sammie behind either!" he argued, looking to Cole. The ghostly looked down as he was put down, then looked back up.

"They're able to hold their own, Hunter. I think they'll be okay," he said, looking just as nervous, "Nadakhan can't get them since they're together."

"Yeah but they're most likely gonna separate them because they tried to break out and Sammie's accused of murder! Nadagran is going to get both of them!" Hunter pointed out, looking panicked. Kai walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay. This stupid Djinn should be easy to stop. We'll take him out and be back to save Nathan and Sammie in a flash," he tried to reassure the orange ninja, but Hunter wasn't at ease.

"But we know what the Djinn can do! He's managed to catch Lilly. He's even managed to catch Sensei Wu! One if the wisest people I know! What makes you think he's going to be easy to stop!?" he argued. I have to be honest, if I were in Hunter's situation, I'd be worried too and I would want to go back. Yet I knew it wouldn't be very wise.

"Hunter, chill. We'll go back when we can, I promise. But right now the fate of Ninjago rests on our shoulders. Hey...maybe Nathan and Sammie will find a way out. They're intelligent enough," Kai told him. Hunter opened his mouth as though he were about to protest, then closed it, looking a bit more calm. There was still worry in his eyes though.

"I hope you're right," he sighed before looking over at Soto. The pirate smiled.

"Well, thank you Pajama People," he said, kissing the ground for the third time. I really questioned if he knew that this mud is probably mixed with prisoner poo. Can't be worse than Alex kissing you though.

"Okay, we got you out, now how do we get the stuff to stop Nadakhan?" Kai asked, sounding a little impatient now. God, please don't let him do the same thing he did when I first met Ronin. His idea of "negotiation" was horrible. "We held up our part of the bargain, now you hold up yours."

Soto poked Kai in the chest with his hook, pushing the master of fire back a few inches. "The map is hidden within a lantern. Find it and light it. It will lead you right to the island."

The pirate then started walk away, leaving us confused.

"Then where's the lantern!? Gosh, all you pirates are so long-winded!" Jay questioned, sounding annoyed. Soto stopped, his 'peg leg' honking. He babbled something in pirate to which I looked at Cass, hoping she'd translate since I consider pirate to be some sort of new form of English. The female master of wind shrugged in response though, telling me she didn't understand it either. You know there's a problem when not even native English speakers can understand you.

" Where's the lantern, Soto?" Lloyd asked in a much calmer voice, repeating Jay's question. Soto turned around.

"That's the tricky part. It's aboard his ship-Misfortune's Keep!" he informed us. I heard Cole make an exhausted sigh. I made the same thing within my mind. You're telling me we have to hunt down the Djinn's ship to find the lantern!? Talk about possible suicide! I'm sure he'll find a way to kill us all while we're onboard.

"Nadakhan's ship? I thought we were trying to avoid that guy!" Cole exclaimed, looking as though he were ready to drop and go to sleep. Suddenly, we heard an alarm in the background and the presence of lights. We all turned to see officers piling out of the prison, flashing their flashlights everywhere and their pistols loaded at the ready. They must have detained Nathan and Sammie.

"I never said it was going to be easy. Good luck, and may the winds always be in your sails!" Soto reminded us before running away, the honking of his peg leg beginning to annoy me. He then stopped abruptly, turning around. "Wait! I know I suddenly remember why you look so familiar," he said, pointing at Nya. Did he finally realize she was the samurai that kicked his crew's butt years ago like she tells me? The pirate chuckled a bit before speaking. "Oh my, that be a charm. By my word you're a spitting image of her!"

Nya looked bewildered. "Of who?"

The pirate didn't answer and continued to walk away, leaving us all clueless. Who is Soto talking about? Suddenly, the sound of voices getting louder startled us, reminding us all of our current situation.

"Let's get out of here!" I yelled as I began to run in the same direction Soto ran, my friends following me. I swore I saw Hunter give one last longing look at the prison before joining us.

"But wait! They'll see our footprints in the mud and track us down!" Cole told me. Cass's running started to slow down.

"I got it!" she shouted, turning and releasing powerful gusts of wind onto the mud, making the piles of mud cover up our tracks. She then sped up, catching up with the rest of us.

"Good thinking," Nya commented, to which Cass smiled. "Now let's head out!"

We all summoned our dragons, flying off into the night sky above the growing clouds. I embraced the feeling of the cool night air I missed and the feeling of the wind whipping through my hair. Sweet freedom. Despite only being in prison for a day, it feels like it's been years since I felt the midnight breeze. It even kind of reminds me of the times I'd climb up onto the roof of Li Zhao's and admire the City's glittering, colorful lights. The times I'd sneak out to let Lilly train me. I miss the old times sometimes...

 _Do not dwell too much on the past, we must plan ahead for the future,_ the voice reminded me. I nodded, sighing. Of course, I had to prepare to break into a ship that's being driven by a powerful Djinn. A mission that was possibly suicide, but if it was anything to restore order, free our friends, and clear our names, I'd do it. So look out Nadakhan. I've got a knuckle sandwich with your name on it.

 _Kryptarium Prison, 1:07 am_

Sammie sat alone in her new cell, hugging her knees and dwelling on what had happened two hours earlier. She feared that Nathan was fatally wounded, despite it just being a jab to the ribs with a taser. She had heard so many stories of police brutality in different time periods and different cities though, leaving her scared. It was how her father had kept her from breaking any kind of rules or laws, and she had to admit, it was affective. She blamed herself though, feeling as though if she had her brother's strength she could have easily fended off those officers and could have saved Nathan. Though, she knew the kiss she gave him must have thrown all his focus off too.

 _Great, first the helicopters, now Nathan. I couldn't help it though..._ She had been so overcome with emotion over someone actually staying behind to help her, she just couldn't help herself, and it led to Nathan's downfall. _I'm sorry I threw off your focus, Nathan. I hope you're okay._

The Warden had them separated now. Sammie's cell on the wing of the prison where they kept all the killers, and Nathan on the opposite wing. She felt so uncomfortable here, the stares from some prisoners sending chills down her spine _. I don't belong here. Neither Nathan or I do. This is a place for Nadakhan, not me._

Sammie couldn't help thinking about how her friends had left her behind though, all following the pirate's commands to run despite the odds. They could have easily fended off the officers and made time for her to reach the ground, but no. They ran. They followed the pirate's orders instead of listening to her quiet pleas for help. At least Nathan helped her...

Sammie couldn't help but feel tears well up in her eyes, the thought of her friends basking in freedom without her making it even worse. _They left me behind..._ She laid her head down on her knees, crying. Why couldn't she jump pipe to pipe with ease like her friends? Why couldn't she resist the jab of a taser despite withstanding the electric shock of Ronin's nets? Why is she so weak? _The article was right. I am the weakest person on the team._

"How disrespectful of your teammates to leave you behind. How disrespectful of a brother to leave his dear sister behind," an unfamiliar, thick-accented voice spoke, startling the master of light. She looked up, looking around before her eyes fell upon a floating orange figure. Smoke replaced his legs and he was bald except for a large, black ponytail on the back of his head. Sammie recognized him immediately. There was no way the Djinn in the security footage and the Djinn before her were two different beings.

"Y...you..." she stuttered, backing into the wall, refusing to get up. Nadakhan smiled, coming closer.

"You know me, don't you? The magical being that can grant wishes?" he questioned. Sammie nodded, fear flooding her mind. _What do I do!? I don't want to end up like Sensei!_

"Y-yeah...you're the guy who kidnapped a few of my friends!" she spoke louder. The Djinn's smile began to fade.

"What friends exactly?" he asked, keeping his fake friendly face on. Sammie forced herself to stand up and make a determined face.

"You shou-uld know! My Sensei! Misako! Lilly! You took them all and are keeping them somewhere aren't you!?" she questioned, fearing what this Djinn would do, especially since his smile had fully faded. He looked slightly annoyed now.

"You're smart, aren't you girl? Though, have you even considered that your outcome may be different than theirs? They weren't smart about their wishes, but I'm sure an intelligent girl like you can make the perfect wishes," the Djinn spoke, his accent making it hard for her to understand him. She wasn't ready to give in to his façade yet though, but she went along with it, putting her acting skills to the test.

"Really?" she asked, making a surprised look. Nadakhan nodded.

"Just wish for what you desire. I'm sure you already know the rules," he said, to which Sammie could reply immediately.

"I wish I was out of this prison!" she said, the world immediately beginning to swirl around her. After a few seconds, she landed in a bunch of mud, the prison a few miles from her. Sammie got up immediately, brushing the mud off herself.

"You have two wishes left," Nadakhan informed her, floating to her side. She thought for a minute, then looked up. It was time she had gotten something she had been longing for.

"I wish I was as strong as my brother!" she spoke loudly, waiting to feel a new strength in her body. Instead though, she was met with severe aching pains in her arms and legs. Sammie cried out in response to the pain, shrinking into a crouch and holding herself. She could feel her arms and legs throbbing like a heartbeat.

"T-This isn't what I wished for!" she shouted, crying out in pain again. Nadakhan smiled.

"You wished to be as strong as your brother, so I granted you his superhuman strength. Unfortunately, your body is much too petite to carry that kind of weight, so your body is reacting normally," the Djinn informed her as she whimpered from the pain, "of course, you can just _wish for it all to go away_ and you'll be pain-free."

Sammie thought for a moment, the pain making her eyes water. She wanted to get rid of it, yet she wanted to use her last wish for something else. Something that would not only benefit her, but benefit her friends. She looked up at the Djinn, the wish forming in her head immediately _. I wish for Nathan to be reunited with my friends._

"I wish..." she began, then cringed from the pain, "I wish for Nathan to be-!" She was cut off as she saw Nadakhan pull out a large blade, rage evident in his expression. He brought it down upon her, Sammie letting out a scream before her world went dark and she lost all feeling in her body.

 _The Next Day, Kryptarium Prison, 12:30 pm_

Nathan sat down at a table with his brown mush known as lunch, his hair disheveled and his blue eyes filled with worry. Sammie wasn't in the cafeteria at all the the guard guiding him assured him the cells in his block went to lunch last. _Is she not allowed to go to the cafeteria? Or did something happen?_ He shook his head in response to that though, pushing his worry away. _No, she's fine, she probably already left._

He indulged in the memory of the moments before he was taken down, the taste of her kiss still on his lips. He was still not over it. _She actually kissed me. I guess I don't have to depend on dreams for that now, do I?_ He longed to do it again, but he knew it may be a while before he could. _Prison always has to ruin everything, huh?_

Though, he couldn't help but think about his brother too. _Is Hunter doing alright? He probably misses me or something. I hope he's okay._

Suddenly, the sound of a tray being set down in front of him startled the master of water, pulling him out of his thoughts. He looked up to see a familiar prisoner with fiery orange hair smile, a bandage wrapped around his arm. His guard was instantly up.

"Hey, Nate. I was hoping we could talk."


	10. Chapter 10

Alex went ahead and sat down across from Nathan, not even asking if he could. The master of water immediately picked up his tray and turned to leave.

"Wait! Where are you going?" the master psion asked, leaning across the table to grab Nathan's sleeve. The boy sighed, annoyed.

"I don't want to talk to you," he admitted, glaring at Alex. The master of psion made a pouty face.

"But why not? I'm the only person who will talk to you in this wretched place. Besides, you _did_ just speak to me," he said, to which Nathan made another annoyed sigh.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because you kill innocent people!" the master of water snapped. A smile crept onto Alex's face.

"But so do you, Nate. Your whole team does. Not to mention, random hostile attacks are pretty common with some of your friends," he claimed, turning his head to one side to show the red mark around his throat he gained from Karma. Nathan narrowed his eyes.

"That's not true, and you deserved that! You killed her mother after all," he replied. Alex still had a grin on his face though, as though he were a scholar listening to an uneducated person drone on.

"Oh? Really? Last I recall, your dear crush killed helicopter pilots the other day, and really, to be honest, Sei's mother jumped in front of the blades. I couldn't stop them," he claimed again, taking a bite of his mush with no remorse. Nathan slammed his tray on the table, peeved.

"Sammie didn't do it on purpose! She was just trying to help us!" he defended her, glaring at Alex. The master of psion continued to smile, then shrugged.

"If you say so, Natey," he said. Nathan narrowed his eyes at the nickname.

"Don't call me that," he told him simply. Alex stayed silent for a moment, then smiled mischeviously.

"Nnnnnatey," he repeated, giggling like a child annoying it's mother. Nathan huffed and picked up his tray, turning to go elsewhere. Alex immediately stood up and grabbed his sleeve again, nearly being dragged across the table as Nathan attempted to walk away.

"No, wait! You didn't let me finish talking! I have an offer you can't refuse!" the master of psion claimed, trying to anchor Nathan in one place. The master of water turned around, continuing to glare at him.

"I don't want your stupid offer! Now let me go!" he shouted, turning and striking Alex across the face with his tray, his rotten food splattering on the floor. The cafeteria went dead silent for a few moments before reconversing. The redhead stared up at Nathan, a mix of disappointment and anger on his face. The master of water panted, glaring down at the young man before yanking his sleeve away from him. Alex sighed.

"Fine, I guess I won't be helping you and Sammie break out of here," he wiped bits of mush off his face before crawling back into his seat, rubbing his cheek. Nathan froze in place. _He actually_ wants _to break us out!? What kind of reverse world is this!?_

"What'd you say?" Nathan asked, wanting to hear it again just to make sure he didn't mishear him. Alex looked up.

"I was going to break you and your girlfriend out of this wretched place, but considering how you acted, I no longer want to," Nathan could tell he was pretending to be angry, but didn't care. He set his empty tray down on the table and sat down, his expression much more serious. Despite his distrust in the person before him, he'd do anything to get out of here. Besides, he knew Alex could teleport. He could simply just use him to get out of here, then he and Sammie can catch up with the others and leave Alex behind. It'd be perfect!

"Please break us out of here," Nathan pleaded, acting like he actually trusted Alex. The redhead crossed his arms and turned away.

"I don't know if I want to now," he said with sass. Nathan sighed.

"Listen, I'll do anything!" he said, to which the master of psion immediately perked up. He regretted what he said immediately, but at least he may have persuaded Alex to help them.

"Anything?" a smile came to the redhead's face as he turned around slowly, a pink flash erupting in his eye for a second. Nathan definitely regretted it now, but he was desperate. There was no way he could pull the same stunt from yesterday again.

"Yes, anything. I just want to get both Sammie and myself out of here, so what do I have to do!?" Nathan admitted. Alex continued smirking, now facing the light blue ninja. There was a look on his face as if he were pondering a plan.

"Nothing, yet. Just be ready to leave tomorrow and we'll talk from there. Don't want the guards to get too suspicious now, do you?" he told him before taking a drink of what Nathan assumed to be the rotten prison milk. _How can this guy eat all this without throwing up!?_ "See you tomorrow, water ninja."

Alex picked up his tray and moved, a glint of pink shining in both of his irises before he walked away. Nathan was left uncertain, knowing whether or not to trust this freak or run away as far as he could. He only had one choice though. If he truly wanted to get Sammie and himself to safety, he'd have to team up with Alex. He sighed though, wondering how he'd explain this to his friends.

"What did I just sign up for?"

 _Unknown place, unknown time_

 _(Lilly's P.O.V.)_

I'm barely awake, but I can sense something. Something faint, yet it makes me want to shout. To warn someone. To alert my friends that it's going to happen again. To tell them to run before they end up like me. I can't though, because I'm stuck. I'm unable to move, yet I float as though I were an astronaut in space. I'm uncomfortable with the unseen items stuck to my arms, back, and legs though. I can't see what they are, but they feel like pieces of jade, or rocks, or maybe even both. I don't know.

I've been counting down the number of people who are unfortunate enough to end up here and so far I've counted four new members since our arrival. Two were men, I could tell just by their shouts. One was a dog. No idea why this Djinn would abduct a dog. Though, the last and fourth person left me fearing what's to come, as I could recognize the scream immediately. Sammie. He targeted her, out of all people. Of course...what did I expect? She was in an unfortunate situation, just like I was before I ended up here. That magazine article must have pushed her to wish for things from this vile Djinn. I felt sorry for her. I wonder what made her split from everyone.

This thing I'm sensing drives me to try to open my eyes again, hoping I've regained my vision for the short periods of time I've usually had in this place. I wasn't lucky though, as I was only met with blurriness, and the shape of a blonde-haired figure floating many feet away from me. I gave up and closed my eyes, seeing that the feeling I sensed hasn't happened yet. They haven't arrived yet, whoever this Djinn decides to prey on next. Who would be next though? I hoped it wasn't anyone from the time, but I had a feeling he would prey on Kai next. As much as my heart wanted to argue with me, it was too obvious. He's more than likely still upset over the argument and the Djinn's going to use those emotions against him. Just by the overall feeling in this place, I could tell. Now I wish Yamikani hadn't taught me how he was able to sense the feelings of everyone in the City, because now I'm scared for my friends. For everyone. Do they know this Djinn is dangerous? I wish I knew.

I really wish I wasn't so defensive and scared of showing off my ability with ice now, as I would never have fallen into this trap if I did. Kai and I never would have fought, and I wouldn't have gotten lost. I would know if my friends are safe then, yet I would probably be unknowing of how deceitful this Djinn is. Maybe things happen for a reason. It's what Xavier always told me. Though, did I really have to be reminded of my early childhood? All the times my mother would...

I probably shouldn't think about it. I'll end up crying again, but it's hard not to think about it when there's literally a scar on you stomach that sits there and says "Hey, you remember that one time? Yeeeeaaah. That was _great_ wasn't it?" It's even worse when you're showering or looking at yourself in the mirror and that ugly thing just sits their and keeps bugging you with memories you'd rather forget. Even worse when someone asks about it too. Kai's seen it before and he's asked about it two times, but I've never told him a thing about it because I hate recalling the memory. I appreciate him expressing his worry, but it won't make me talk.

For now, though, I can only be left alone with my thoughts and attempt to regain my vision, much to my dismay. I hate being alone with my thoughts, but in times like this there's nothing more you can do. You might as well try to make the best of it. After all, I don't know how much longer this peaceful period will last.

 _Ninjago City, Afternoon_

After trying to reclaim their ship and throw off the police's multiple ways of tracking them, the team met at the old Yuge Bar, where Kai used to be a fake wrestler before entering Chen's Tournament. The nacho-scented place brought back memories to the master of fire, reminding him of the days he'd make a quick 20$ just by pretending to beat either a person or a skeleton to death. He even remembered his old persona, which made him slightly cringe now.

As they all entered and sat down, a match was going on in the center floor between two heavily tattooed men. Kai could tell they were fake wrestlers just by their moves and how they appeared unaffected by supposedly lethal moves. He thought he heard Cass snicker.

"I bet those guys don't even know an ounce of wrestling," she mumbled, proceeding to take a seat next to Zane. Kai wanted to agree, but he kept himself quiet, not wanting to bring up his old embarrassing wrestling persona. _Don't want to ruin my flawless reputation now._ Though, was his reputation even flawless in the first place?

He sat down at the table, looking down at the foggy drink the waitress had put in front of him. He pushed it away, focusing on their current ordeal. "I'm so tired of all this sneaking around, when are we actually going to go up to Nadakhan and stop him!?" the master of fire admitted, impatience in his voice despite the calmness he had earlier. He was beginning to grow impatient with Lloyd's plans, his worry for his missing teammates driving him crazy. He saw the master of energy frown, his eyes switching colors from one single blink.

"Easy, Kai," the boy spoke in a reassuring voice, "We're all itching to get back into action, but so far five of our own have gone missing, including Nathan and Sammie. None of us have yet to lay an eye on him!"

Kai winced at the mention of the missing five, remembering his last words to Lilly before she disappeared. _God, why am I so stupid!?_ he asked himself again, staring down at the various etchings that were on the table.

"If only we knew someone who had faced him so they could tell us what to expect," Zane sighed, "Soto was a great candidate, but he was not helpful."

"I wish w-" Lloyd began to say before Jay raised his voice, shouting "No! Don't say that word!" Kai raised an eyebrow at his sister's ex, looking to his teammates to see their reactions. Surely enough, they all were just as confused as he was. _What's Jay's problem? Just seconds ago he was complaining to Zane about how Nya "friendzoned" him. Ugh, when will he get her message? Do I need to beat it into him!?_ The blue ninja cleared his throat, looking anxious. "I mean, who needs wishes when all we need is right here! Ha ha...Go ninja go?"

Suddenly, gasps in unison from behind them caught Kai's attention, giving him the indication that their cover had been blown.

"Please tell me the crowd is just gasping because Fritz Donnegan just walked in," Karma whispered, looking panicked. Kai thought he saw Jay wince.

"Nice goin' Jay, you just blew our cover," Cole grumbled, to which Nya shook her head.

"No, he didn't," she pointed at the TV mounted on the wall, worry filling her voice. Kai followed her finger up to the TV, the image on the screen making his eyes widen. The screen showed an image of an ancient airship floating above one of the City's major streets. He didn't recall any of rich guys in the City owning one of those. He listened in to the report.

"Ninjago City is once again under attack by pirates!" the reporter exclaimed, looking quite frightened. The footage cut to a scene where an anchor that was being dragged pierced a car, dragging it along with it. Civilians were fleeing in panic, and amongst them Kai could spot his sister's girlfriend, Ashley. He already knew that Nya was alarmed now. "Sky pirates!" the reporter went on, cutting to footage of the SWAT trying to shoot the airship down with their pistols. Kai already knew the police's attempts would be fruitless.

"We have to help," Cole said, beginning to stand up. Hunter looked over.

"But we're criminals! They'll probably arrest us sight!" he reminded the ghostly ninja.

"Doesn't matter. We protect the innocent," Lloyd reminded the orange ninja with a firm voice, his fedora covering his eyes again.

"And Soto said that the map is on that ship. If we want it, we'll have to get on board," Nya recalled.

"Then what are we waiting for!?" Kai spoke up, "I thought we were all itching to get back into action!"

His response was met with determined smiles from some of his teammates. They left the Yuge Bar in a hurry, planning their first move on the go as they headed towards the airship in the sky.

The nine of them jumped rooftop to rooftop as they followed the airship, the tails of their colored belts fluttering in the breeze as they ran. Lloyd led them with Karma following close behind, constant slips on some of the ledges plaguing her. They finally stopped at a ledge that faced the ship though, the sight of it making Kai want to fly right up to it and fight whoever's on board himself. With all that's been going on, his always been ready to fight, his worry triggering his protective instincts in every fight. He had to protect everyone else. He didn't want them to end up like the others.

"For our own safety, travel in pairs! We need to protect the people, but also get that map!" Lloyd instructed them, staring at the ship.

"Wait, I forgot. What does the map look like!?" Cole asked. Zane turned around.

"It is on a lantern. Look for a lantern!" he informed the master of earth before pulling on his hood. The rest of them followed his action before splitting, Kai deciding to follow Jay. They used spinjitzu to soften their landing before running down the street, following the airship. Kai jumped over an approaching bomb disguised as a barrel, the blast from behind him knocking him off his feet. He got up though, knowing that if the lantern was on this ship, Nadakhan had to be too. Though, he turned to look at Jay, who was recovering.

"I'm okay!" the redhead reassured him, a small tear on the pants of his gi. Kai sighed. _At least he's fine._

"I'm going after that lantern!" the master of fire shouted over the commotion above, turning to run to the ship. It wasn't entirely a lie, but he intended to get on board for more than one reason.

"Wait! We're supposed to stay together!" Jay screamed as Kai began to run towards the ship. _Keep up then,_ he thought to himself, not slowing down for Jay. He sped up, sprinting after the ship, no longer hearing the blue ninja behind him. He jumped onto a street lamp and vaulted onto a rooftop, proceeding to jump to another. He was beginning to run out of breath, but he continued to push himself, determined to stop Nadakhan once and for all. He avoided a cannonball as he ran on a ledge, flipping onto the rooftop. He took the moment to catch his breath, his lungs aching for air. Suddenly, orange dust materialized before him, making him stumble back and shield his eyes.

"What the-!" he shouted before his eyes met with that of an orange-skinned man who happened to have no legs. Kai had no time to react before the Djinn picked him up by his gi and disappeared with him, panic beginning to flood the master of fire's mind.

It was only a second before he was dropped onto sand, the tan grains sticking to his pants and sleeve. He took a moment to breathe before facing Nadakhan, building up courage to hide his panic.

"Where are we!?" he asked immediately as he faced the Djinn, pulling off his hood furiously, "What did you do!?"

"I thought a little privacy might be in order, so no one interrupts you. How nice, am I right?" the Djinn spoke in a honeyed voice, making Kai distrust him even more as he circled the ninja, "You were in such a rush. For what? Let me help you. You can _wish_ for it."

The master of fire glared at Nadakhan. "The only thing I wish for is for you to take me back!" This wasn't entirely true. There was thousands of things he wanted to wish for, but his distrust in the Djinn drove him to keep them silenced, fearing that he may turn his greatest desires into some grotesque nightmare.

 _"Your wish, is yours to keep,"_ Nadakhan smiled as the scenery changed. The sunny beach suddenly became a cloudy day in an old village, the materializing citizens looking as though they were from forty years ago. Kai was suddenly confused as to where the Djinn had taken him. _Am I in Ignacia or Jamanikai!?_

"This isn't Ninjago City! This isn't my wish! I told you to take me back!" the master of fire shouted at the Djinn, anger in his voice.

"Ah, but how far back?" Nadakhan smiled, as though Kai's error were familiar to him, "This _is_ Ninjago City, or should I say the humble beginnings of it."

Kai looked around, his eyes suddenly catching sight of a man with a face similar to his. Disheveled black hair stuck out from under the man's conical hat and his eyes were the same chocolate brown as Kai's. He carried many assorted weapons carefully, a frown on his face as he moved door to door. A faint mustache was beginning to form above the man's lip. He was all too familiar.

"I-Is that-?" Kai began, to which the Nadakhan nodded.

"Your father? Yes. I believe he's around your age now," the Djinn informed him as he stared in disbelief at the man who walked up to a doorstep. _No, it can't be. He's tricking me. He's using my emotions against me!_ Kai gave in anyway, the memories of his father before the Christmas Incident flooding his mind. He yearned to walk over to the man now. "A little more...pathetic," Nadakhan went on as Kai watched his father knock on a door, only to get rejected after saying only a few words. The slamming of the door caused his father to drop all the weapons, making them clatter onto the dirt street below the steps. Kai watched his father struggle with picking up the weapons, before both of their eyes met.

"A little help?" his father smiled nervously, waving to him. Kai turned around immediately, avoiding his gaze, only to face Nadakhan again.

"This isn't what I wished for," the master of fire told the Djinn again, pain in his voice. Just the sight of his father brought back memories, even the less then desirable ones. Even the memory of his father's murder decided to reappear in his mind, putting him on the verge of tears.

"Why won't you help your poor father? He's right there," the Djinn reminded him as he looked away, trying to refrain from breaking down, "You could finally spend some quality time with him."

Kai turned around as he heard his father ask for help again, a part of him yearning to help him and speak to him. Though, he knew it could possibly break space and time, knowing too much from movies that if the offspring meets it's parent in the past it will cease to exist. "Dad..." he spoke quietly, still yearning to speak to him again anyway _. It's been years since I've been able to talk to him..._ The master of fire watched his father slowly pick up the weapons, frowning again. He now felt guilty for not helping. Kai winced, taking deep breaths to calm himself as he felt a breakdown coming. It's his only opportunity to talk to his dead father, but he's hesitant. _Should I?_

He could feel a single tear stream down his face now, trying to hold back the rest of his tears as best he could. _I need to get out of here._ He turned back to Nadakhan, making a confident face despite his current state of mind.

"I wish for you to take me back. Back to when things were good, when nothing was wrong. Back before all this mess! Back to when everyone liked us! Back to when bad guys like you weren't a problem! Back to when everything was okay between everyone on the team! Back to when girls were crazy for me!" Kai shouted, bracing for another scenery change. A sinister smile came to Nadakhan's face.

 _"Your wish is yours to keep!"_

Suddenly Kai found himself in the middle of a street in the City, the block unusually silent. He looked around, seeing no one in sight. Something about this was oddly eerie.

"Where is everyone?" he asked, looking around again. He was begging to become worried. "I said that-"

"You said enough for one wish. Too much to make any sense!" Nadakhan appeared, narrowing his eyes at the master of fire, "but the girls _are_ crazy for you."

The faint squealing of a woman made Kai nervous on what Nadakhan meant exactly. He braced for a large crowd, but was met with a large crowd of deranged female citizens, all of them looking as if someone had sewn their mouths into permanent smiles or had damaged their eyes. The master of fire instantly felt as though he were in some sort of zombie apocalypse, except that the zombies were girls and he didn't have time to limber up at all. Nor did he have time to enjoy the little things.

He immediately broke into a full sprint, trying to get as far away as he could from these girls. It was enough he got mauled once by a crowd, why did Nadakhan have to make it worse!? He jumped over a mailbox and skid around a corner, running as fast as his legs could carry him. He quickly slid inside a shop and barricaded the door with what he could find, his heart pounding loudly. The girls' deformed faces were forever imprinted in Kai's memory now, making him fearful of the demons that beat their fists on the door. Though, his mind was occupied on who was in the crowd. He thought he saw Ashley, he definitely saw Trisha, yet he didn't see Skylor or Lilly. Was it that the girls he's actually had genuine feelings for weren't in the crowd? Or was it because he knew he had treated them both poorly and had yet to say sorry? He couldn't tell.

Suddenly, the window to the shop broke and he rushed to barricade it with a table, turning to face Nadakhan at the same time. "This isn't what I wished for!" he yelled, glaring at the Djinn.

"You have one more wish," Nadakhan reminded him, "All of this can go away if you just say the words!"

Suddenly the barricade broke and the girls flooded in, pulling on his hair and gi. He hugged himself, wincing as they pulled on him. _What did I do to deserve this!?_ "But, if you do prefer this scene," the Djinn went on, "I could always add two lovely girls to the crowd. I'm sure you know them well." The master of fire's eyes widened at the mention of them. _No, don't make them deranged and deformed like this!_ He could see the Djinn gaining satisfaction from his fright, and one of Nadakhan's hands was close to snapping. _No, he's going to do it!_

Kai's face then slammed into the floor as he felt the girls push him down, some laying on his back. He was beginning to panic, the breakdown from earlier slowly returning. He had to do something before this become more than a scarring nightmare.

"Okay, okay, make them stop! I wish for it all to go away!" he screamed, before covering his mouth and regretting it all. He could feel himself being dragged out as Nadakhan smiled.

 _"Your wish..."_

 _No! This is how everyone else was taken, isn't it!?_

 _"...is yours to keep!"_

Kai suddenly couldn't feel any of his limbs and his world began to spin. He screamed, hoping someone at least hear him and save him, but it was too late. He lost consciousness and became yet another addition to the many souls that rest inside the sword, his friends unknowing...for now.

 _Beware of Nadakhan the Prince of Djinn, for your greatest desires may become your greatest fears, and your most desirable dreams may become your worst nightmare. Be wise, children, for you never know what kind of horror Nadakhan will conjure just for you._


	11. Chapter 11

_The Sword_

 _(Lilly's P.O.V.)_

A scream awoke me from sleep, pulling me out of the everlasting nightmare that haunts me when I close my eyes in here. The Djinn must have caught another person. Let's hope my prediction wasn't true. Once I was sure I was awake, I looked around, my vision actually clear for once. I knew my luck wouldn't last long though. Before long, my vision will become extremely blurry again until I can only see black. I turned myself around until my eyes fell upon a familiar figure, my eyes widening. Crap, curse my prediction skills! Surely enough, I could recognize that spiky, brown hair from anywhere. There's no one else I know who puts on 20 gallons of hair gel on in the morning.

I forced myself to swim through the antigravity, the ends of my vision blurring as I reached out for him. Curse this slow antigravity! I reached out farther, managing to grab Kai's ankle. My vision was slowly starting to blur again. I cursed under my breath and pulled him towards me, not wanting to swim the rest of the way. It would take far too long.

I watched Kai slowly float down to my level, the hand that grabbed his ankle now floating up to his shoulder. His head was now slumped to the side, his eyes closed in slumber but his expression frozen in a way that made it look like he had been crying. I frowned, placing a hand on the side of his face. What did this Djinn do to him?

"Kai?" I spoke, trying to see if he'd wake up. The words came out as though I were speaking in slow motion instead, making me sound funny. I said his name again, louder this time, hoping he would wake up but I never saw his eyes flutter. My vision was beginning to blur, and my time to see if he was actually, genuinely okay was growing short. I really wanted to see if we could just make up and break this wall of silence between us, but it looks like fate is preventing it. I frowned again, wrapping my arms around him in a hug as I hoped I wouldn't lose my vision here. I wanted to see if he'd accept a second chance, but if course the Djinn prevents it all. I can't even take the time to admit I've been a bit rude to Kai in previous times either. When will we actually get to make up!?

I placed a gentle kiss on his cheek as everything slowly began to blur. Once I pulled away, I thought I saw something on his face flutter, but it was too late. Everything was blurred now, and darkness was beginning to crawl onto the edges of my vision. I swam away, slowly floating back out into open space, feeling guilty for my prediction. I must have jinxed it or something. The Djinn must have heard my thoughts and decided to target him just because of my thoughts. Though, if that's the case, wouldn't he have targeted Cole too because of Sammie's thoughts? Or maybe she isn't thinking about her brother...

Either way, I felt guilty for some reason. Is it because we fought before I fell into this place and now we can't apologize? Or is it because the Djinn can actually read my thoughts? Or maybe it's because I feel like Kai is still mad at me. Maybe he's still fuming from the argument. He's known for being stuck on arguments with other people for weeks. Maybe he wants to break it off...

Well...if he wants to...I'll support him. I mean, I've done some pretty rude and unforgivable things in the past. Maybe he's picked up on them just like I have recently. I wouldn't blame him for leaving, I do tend to be a bit like... _her_ I guess. I'm just as vile a creature as my mother then...aren't I? I'm just as mean and harsh. I'm just as rude. More than likely, I'm probably just as bad as her.

No...I shouldn't think that way. Yet, what if I really am like her?

 _Ninjago City, Afternoon_

 _(Karma's P.O.V.)_

I jumped building to building, the ends of my staff meeting a pirate's face at every corner. Following each move the voice told me to do, I managed to deflect attacks and knock the pirates off buildings as I grew closer to the ship. My pride grew as I fought them off. Someone should really call me the master of combat, considering what I've done so far. Though, most of it came from my mother's voice. She's the one steering me in the right direction after all. She always has.

Suddenly, I heard static in the small headset in my ear, Cass's voice then broke though the static, sounding hopeful. "Hey guys, I think Cole just got the lantern!"

A smile came to my face as I ran, jumping to another roof. We're winning then! We should be able to stop Nadakhan in no time!

"Did he!? I'm on the ship and I don't see him!" Hunter reported, panting. I could hear the sounds of scuffling in the background.

"He's not on the ship. In fact, we're all off..." Jay told him. I could only imagine the look on Hunter's face.

"Crap!" I heard the orange ninja shout over the comm. There was a long pause before someone spoke again.

"Well, anyway, I have the lantern. Lloyd, Karma, and Kai, could you guys meet us at the building with the brown roof?" Cole asked as I perched myself on a street lamp, watching an alleyway.

"Can do!" I nodded, putting my staff back into it's dormant state.

"I'm almost there!" I heard Lloyd say, which I heard from the alleyway. I didn't realize how near he was, neither did I realize the police chief was hiding right next to the alleyway. Once Lloyd reached the entrance to the alleyway, the chief jumped in front of him, pointing his pistol straight at the boy's head. My guard was immediately up, and I could feel the intricate lines wrapping themselves around the street lamp.

"Freeze!" the chief shouted, "Don't test me Lloyd Garmadon!"

I heard the click of the safety on the gun. The officer was ready to shoot. I was panicking inside, knowing if I jumped now the gun would be aimed at me. Though, Lloyd's frightened face was making my heart urge me to jump and take the chief on. I'd sacrifice myself to keep Lloyd safe, but what about all the plans my mother has been telling me? My grip on the slender neck of the streetlamp tightened. Please, me, do something!

"You know we're only trying to help!" Lloyd told him, pulling off his mask and revealing his light blonde locks, "If you don't believe me, pull the trigger."

My pulse became faster as the chief continued to stand there, pointing his weapon at the Green Ninja, who wore a confident but focused expression on his face. He continued to hold his hands up, showing he was no threat. Oh god, please don't let this become a tragedy fast! I quickly jumped from the street lamp to the roof of the building bordering the alleyway, my lines following me. I was prepared to jump down in case things took a turn for the worse. Though, why should I wait!? This could become deadly.

Before the chief could do anything, I jumped down and wrapped an arm around Lloyd. I jumped with him and sent an orb under us, the orb exploding and throwing us onto the roof. I thought I heard the chief curse as my back hit the roof, the impact making me let go of the master of energy. It didn't help that Lloyd just happened to land on top of me, knocking the wind out of me. Sure, he's easy to carry but when he actually lands on you...ow. I laid there for a moment, sighing and proud of the fact that this didn't have to end in tragedy.

I then attempted to get up once he got up. the pain in my back making me wince. I ended up flopping back onto back, sighing. "I feel like an old woman," I complained, trying again. I saw Lloyd offer a hand, which I took. He pulled me to my feet, despite me wincing as my back protested. He looked concerned.

"Are you alright?" the Green Ninja asked, his eyebrows knotted in worry. I nodded, rubbing my back.

"I'm fine, just landed wrong," I smiled reassuringly. He paused for a minute, then smiled back.

"Thanks for stepping in before he shot though. I was afraid I was going to have to join Nelson in a hospital room," he said, squeezing my hand gently. I squeezed back, my mask hiding the blush growing on my cheeks.

"I didn't want anything to happen to you, and the chief didn't look too friendly..." I admitted as he pulled on his mask, his eyes showing that he was still smiling. Oh, how I adore those beautiful, bright red eyes...

 _A reminder that your friends requested that you meet at the brown-roofed building!_ my mothers voice interrupted the moment, reminding me of our current situation. If only peaceful moments like that could last longer...

"We should get going. Cole wanted to meet at the building with the brown roof. They probably think we're lost," I said, turning in the direction of the building. I saw Lloyd nod as he let go of my hand, to which I wished that he had kept holding it.

"Right. Let's go," he said, jumping onto the next roof and running to the building. I followed him, wishing that my mother hadn't ruined that moment. This lack of interaction with Lloyd is beginning to kill me.

"Alright, now let's fire this lantern up and check out the map," Cole said, holding the lantern up as Lloyd and I approached the group. It looked like everyone was here. "Kai! A little light?"

There was a short pause as everyone waited for the master of fire to assist Cole in lighting the lantern, but he was nowhere to be found. I couldn't help but feel something had happened to him. _That's what he gets for being an asshole._

"Kai?" Cole called again as everyone looked around. A worried look grew on Nya's face.

"Where's my brother?" she asked, looking everywhere. That feeling still remained. I heard Jay laugh nervously right before the building (as well as the ground) shook, almost knocking me off my feet. All of us fell as a strong jolt rocked the building, surprising me that it didn't fall.

"What the heck was that!?" Hunter exclaimed, getting up. It was quite a short earthquake...

"I don't know," Lloyd replied, getting up as well, "but I'm afraid to find out." He looked over the buildings of the City, making me curious as to what he was seeing. I moved to the front as the others gathered around, my eyes widening at the sight before me.

Right there to the left of all the large buildings sat a large crater, taking up three blocks. There was no evidence of a meteor, but I knew enough already purely by the sight of the buildings that originally sat there becoming an island that was rising into the sky. Someone is using some major magic.

 **15-14-5 19-9-2-12-9-14-7 3-1-14-14-15-20 12-9-22-5 23-9-20-8-15-21-20 20-8-5 15-20-8-5-18**


	12. Chapter 12

_Kryptarium Prison, 11:05 PM_

Nathan rested against the wall of his cell, waiting to see how Alex would pull this off. He knew the warden had assigned more guards to his hallway, so how was he going to get him out unnoticed? And how was Alex going to get out himself? The vengestone cuffs they wear do suppress their powers. Would he convince the guard to free him somehow? Though, Nathan still didn't understand why Alex was helping him and Sammie in the first place. _He wants something, doesn't he? There's no other way he'd be helping us. What does he want from us though?_

Nathan pondered his ideas on what the master of psion would want, ending up with nothing. _The Realm Crystal is locked away in place even I don't know about, Pixal's system has been modified so she can't be hacked anymore, and I'm not pulling hair from anyone's head for DNA samples to make clones. So, what possibly could he want!? Money? Ronin's liquor bottle collection that oddly enough still sits in the Bounty? Fame? What is it!?_

Suddenly, a knocking on his cell bars startled him, making him look over to see Alex leaning against the bars, giving a small wave. His fiery orange hair was pulled up into a small ponytail, his eyes showing the obvious, glowing pink glint. There wasn't a scratch on him and he noticed the the cuffs on his hands were nowhere to be found. Alex then stepped away from the bars and stared straight at them. Nathan watched as a pink glow radiated from the bars before they were pulled apart and floated into a neat pile on the floor. A smile came to the master of psion's face as Nathan gave a surprised look.

"No time to gawk, blue ninja. We gotta get out of here," the redhead reminded him as he got up. Nathan's mind instantly switched to the whereabouts of his teammate.

"Where's Sammie?" he asked, joining Alex in the hall. He immediately noticed all the guards were gone once he was out, finding no signs of them in the hallway or by the cells. _What the heck? Where'd they go?_

"She's not here," the master of psion informed him as he pulled a bobby pin from his hair and picked the lock to Nathan's cuffs. The master of water stared at him in disbelief.

"Did you check everywhere!? Maybe they moved her cell again," he asked, to which Alex nodded. With one more turn of the pin, the cuffs fell off Nathan's wrists and clattered on the floor. Nathan could feel his powers coming back, but his mind was on Sammie.

"Listen, I can take you to her last known cell and ask some of the savages staying nearby what happened but there's nothing else I can do. I don't know what happened," Alex offered, pushing the bobby pin back into his hair. Nathan sighed. _There's no way she could have disappeared into thin air like that! Something's up here..._

"Take me to her cell. I'll ask one of the nearby prisoners there," he ordered, to which Alex nodded. The master of psion then wrapped an arm around then master of water's chest and clasped one hand with the other, each hand's fingers having to touch the bottom of the other's palm. Within a split second, Nathan felt his feet rise off the floor for a minute before the scenery changed to a different hallway. Alex let go of him, brushing off his hands.

"Sorry if touching you made you uncomfortable, but someone can't teleport with me unless I do that," he informed him, turning to Sammie's empty cell. Nathan wasn't focused on that at the moment though, still being concerned on the whereabouts of his teammate. He walked up to the cell, peeking in.

"Sammie? Please tell me you're hiding from Alex or something!" he called, to which Alex snickered.

"I told you she's not in there, Natey," he reminded him, to which Nathan narrowed his eyes at the nickname. _How often is this guy gonna call me Natey!? It's worse than the nicknames Hunter gives me!_ The master of water then turned away, walking to the cell across from hers. A bearded man sat inside it, smelling of ham and sweat. Nathan's nose crinkled at the smell.

"Hey, do you know what happened to the girl in that cell?" he asked the prisoner with confidence in his voice. He pointed at the cell across from them, to which the prisoner scratched his beard. He grunted.

"Some Aladdin-ass genie suddenly appeared in there a night or two ago, claimin' he would make her wildest dreams come true. So, she wished to get out of this place and they both disappeared without a trace. She owe you money or sumthin', bub?" the prisoner told him, revealing extremely decayed teeth as he spoke. Nathan froze at the mention of the "genie", a sick realization coming to mind. _"Genie"? Disappeared without a trace!? Don't tell me...Nadakhan got to her...didn't he!?_

"An actual genie!? They're real!?" Alex latched onto the cell bars, perching himself on them with a surprised face. The prisoner nodded, then his eyes widened.

"Hey...aren't you that one guy who pretended be a woman so you could steal food from No-Eyed Pete!?" he asked, to which Alex's eyes widened. Nathan raised an eyebrow.

"N-Nope! It wasn't it me! I-It was my identical twin brother...Rolex! Ha ha! Yeah! He's a real rascal!" the master of psion lied nervously. Nathan facepalmed as the prisoner stood up, glaring at Alex.

"I believe I'd be doing Pete a favor if I turned you into a pulp," the prisoner claimed as the redhead made a panicked squeak.

"B-but don't you listen to say what they say about Russians!? They turn men like you into men pretzels! I-I could bend you into a Gordian knot!" Alex claimed, looking nervous. The prisoner didn't seem phased. He immediately reached through the bars, grabbing for the redhead's shirt collar. He was too late though, as Alex jumped away immediately, squeaking again. "Come on, Nathan. Let's go. T-This guy isn't worth my time. We can find your girlfriend another time."

Nathan blushed at the mention of Sammie as being his girlfriend, but he didn't have time to protest as Alex wrapped an arm around him again, the scenery changing as he clasped his hands. This time they landed in the muddy landscape outside of the prison, the dirt caking itself between Nathan's toes as he landed. Alex let go of him and stepped back for a minute before wincing, the pink glow in his eyes disappearing once he opened them.

"S-stay here. I forgot something," he told Nathan before disappearing again. The master of water raised an eyebrow, wondering what possibly he could have forgotten. His mind then returned to his thoughts on Sammie's disappearance, anger beginning to boil inside him. _What the heck is Nadakhan's deal!? Why is he going around abducting us!? I mean, come on! First Sensei, then Misako, then Lilly, now Sammie! Who's next? Me? Hunter!? Lloyd!?_ He kicked a clod of dirt in frustration, huffing. _Why us!?_

Suddenly, he heard Alex reappear, panting as though he had run a marathon. Nathan turned to face him, noticing he was holding a pair of blades, some folded clothes, and his sais. It didn't look like he bothered to grab the master of water's gi.

"Sorry, a cop spotted me while I was grabbing this stuff so I couldn't grab your ninja outfit thing. You'll be fine though. I'm sure you can do that magical girl thing your friends do," the master of psion told him, handing him his sais. Nathan still didn't understand why he was doing thing. He was so used to seeing him as some overly-prideful psychopath. Now he just seemed like some crazy hobo who just helped him out of prison. _What's with the sudden change?_

"Um, Alex?" Nathan spoke up as the master of psion checked the pockets of his red and black jacket. He looked up, brushing orange hair out of his face. The master of water went on. "Why are you helping me? I thought you hated me. I thought you hated all my friends."

The redhead was silent for a moment, not responding for a minute as he dug into his pockets. He then looked up at Nathan, his expression neutral. "You wouldn't have lasted a week in that place so I decided to spare you, as well as myself. Is there a problem with that?" he told him, turning back to his jacket.

"Not really...I'm just used to seeing you trying to murder all of us. I just wondered why you had a change of heart all of the sudden..." Nathan told him. Alex sighed and mumbled something under his breath that the master of water couldn't hear.

"Well, may I remind you that there is a catch to all this too," he told Nathan, to which he nodded, "...Please let me come along with you. I really have no one to go to right now, and I promise I won't try to stab anyone. Besides, this whole thing with the genie sounds interesting and I want in on it."

Nathan thought for a moment, unsure. _This is the guy who killed that red haired guy Lilly knew and Karma's mom. Do I really want him coming along with me? Sure...his teleportation could come in handy, but what if he tries something? I know I can't trust him. Though, he got me out of here and would have freed Sammie too. He looks pretty sincere about it as well. What would my friends think though?_

"It's fine if you say no. I can understand why," Alex spoke again, looking a bit guilty. Nathan shook his head.

"No, I'll let you come along. On one condition though," he accepted, the master of psion's eyes widening, "Just promise to never speak to me again after this whole ordeal is over."

Alex hesitated a moment, then nodded. "It's a deal," he agreed, "Now we should probably get out of here before the police figure out I'm not running around in the halls."

Nathan nodded, then turned and spun, allowing his spinjitzu tornado to surround him for a few seconds before stopping slowly. Once he stopped, he looked down at his outfit, noticing it was an Airjitzu gi. He was surprised, wondering when he actually did Airjitzu. Then, the memory of the night he and Sammie were recaptured came to mind. He felt like jumping for joy. _This is the first time I've unlocked something before Hunter has! Hah, I won't always be the last one!_

He smiled to himself for a minute before summoning his dragon and mounting it.

"I figure the team's somewhere in Ninjago City, so we'll meet there, alright?" he told him. Alex nodded, but didn't do anything. Nathan raised an eyebrow. _Doesn't he know how to summon a dragon? Or can't he just teleport?_ "Um, aren't you going to teleport or something?"

"Just like you, my powers have a limit. I start to grow tired from having to use them for a long time. Considering I had to teleport maybe thirty times in the past two ours, pull your cell apart, and make sure the guards would be out of the way, you can imagine I'm fatigued," Alex informed him, still panting from running. Nathan could understand, but wasn't so keen on letting him sit on the back. He sighed.

"Fine, get on the back," the master of water told him, to which Alex nodded. He waited until he was sure he was on the back, then flew off, gripping the reins of his dragon tightly in frustration. _I'll freakin' fight everyone. That dumbass warden. That stupid Djinn. All of them. Those dumb cops probably separated Sammie and I just so Nadakhan could abduct one of us!_ He gripped the reins tighter, rage filling his thoughts. _I just wanted to solve this all then get back to living the good life, dammit! What did we even do to provoke Nadakhan!? Oh, wait! Let me guess! We did absolutely freaking nothing and he just picked on us because he wanted to see us fall apart! Ha, ha! That joke's getting REALLY old now!_

"I don't think now's the time for water to boil," he heard Alex say suddenly. Nathan was utterly confused on what he meant until he looked down and saw his dragon beginning to fade. _Crap_! He gripped the reins again, trying to calm himself down as he braced for impact. The feeling of the reins in hand disappeared and he closed his eyes, awaiting the feeling of the hard, muddy ground...but it never came.

He opened his eyes, seeing that he wasn't falling, but floating. He turned himself around, spotting Alex and noticing that he was using his telekenesis to hold the both of them up. Exhaustion was evident on his face.

"Hurry up and resummon your dragon! I don't know how much longer I can hold both of us up!" the master of psion shouted to him, grunting as he held the both of them up. Nathan nodded, focusing and resummoning the large, blue creature. Alex held them in the air for a second longer before exhaling and letting both of them fall onto the dragon. He sighed.

"God! Do you know how heavy you are, Nathan!?" Alex complained as Nathan grabbed the reins of his dragon. The master of water narrowed his eyes.

"Are you sure the heavy one isn't you?" he muttered under his breath. The dragon moved forward, flying towards the City as Nathan heard Alex fall asleep behind him. Determination was evident in the boy's face as he flew, his motivation to find his friends and stop the Djinn keeping him awake.

 _I'm coming for you, Nadakhan._

 _The Donnegan Estate, Unknown Location, 4:35pm_

After finding that Kai was truly gone, we retreated to what Jay claimed to be his home. I couldn't help but have feelings of disbelief that this was his home though. First of all, didn't Jay say he lived in a junkyard? Second, why didn't we know of this? Third, I know I've seen this home on that one TV show that showcases celebrity homes. Fourth, I get that we're famous and all but where did Jay get all this money!? I didn't really pay much mind to this though, as my mind will still buzzing on things from before. I had apologized to Zane for my disrespect at the prison and my insensitivity to what happened to him, to which he accepted, and for some reason on the way here my mind started questioning Lloyd and I's relationship again. I mean, wouldn't our relationship seem...odd? My birthday's next month and I'll be turning 20, but he won't be 16 until July. Won't people find that odd? Especially if we publicize our relationship? I don't want to be seen as a weirdo, but what's so wrong? Why am I so scared of this? Why am I afraid of showing our relationship to the public? Our friends approve of it. Is it because I'm afraid of receiving hate like Lilly and Sammie had? Or is it because I'm afraid something will separate us? That something will change one of us and we won't see each other the same anymore? I'm not sure. I just wish I could live without this constant anxiety and paranoia.

I followed everyone into Jay's "home", marveling at the assorted trophies and expensive vases that were showcased before the large staircase. It was getting harder for me to believe this was his, but why am I so judgmental? The master of lightning cleared his throat, interrupting my thoughts.

"Welcome to my humble abode," he smiled, looking nervous as we all looked at the inside. Everyone else seemed to be in awe. I, instead, was paying attention to Zane's metallic falcon pet. I wish I was that good with birds.

Jay then led us into a living room where a large automaton-like statue of Fritz Donnegan sat by the doorway, proudly spouting his famous catchphrase: "Fear isn't a word where I come from!" The statue caught Lloyd's attention immediately, though it left me slightly impressed. I've always liked other celebrities more than him. I heard that Fritz was a bit of a player.

"So, how did you come across this place again?" Lloyd questioned Jay as he admired the statue. I noticed that Jay immediately became much more nervous.

"I...saved up. Ha, yeah. I saved up and now I got all this...tada!" he stuttered, showing off the living room. I didn't really buy it.

"We're probably unknowingly breaking into some rich guy's home or something," Cass whispered to me, joining the Doubt Club. Her theory could be true.

"It's also my secret hideout! T-though it could be our secret hideout," Jay continued, his ears beginning to turn red beneath his hair. It blended in with his hair though, which made it so no one but I could notice. Very suspicious. The statue began to talk again, to which Jay ran over and shook it, the voice suddenly shortcircuiting as the master of lighting laughed nervously. My suspicion grew. I heard Lloyd sigh.

"First we lost Wu, then Misako, then Lilly, and now Kai! Better yet, we don't even know Nathan and Sammie's status. I don't know about you guys, but I'm starting to see a pattern," he said, his smile turning into a frown. I was genuinely surprised he called his mother by her first name. I then saw Zane walk up.

"Whenever one of them is left alone, it seems they disappear," he observed, casting a worried glance at the boy.

"Yeah, and considering that they probably split Nathan and Sammie up at the prison, Nadaflan probably got to them already!" Hunter added, obviously upset.

"Then we all need to stick together from here on out!" Nya suggested, before turning to Jay, "Now, we need to find out what's in that lantern. Jay, hit the lights!"

The master of lightning instantly looked nervous again. "Lights?" he mumbled to himself, looking around. It's clear he doesn't know where anything is here. I sighed, deciding to zone out for a short bit, knowing this would probably take a while.

Let's just hope Nadakhan is taking a five-day break.


	13. Chapter 13

After taking five minutes to find the switches panel in his house and find the right switch, Jay finally shut off the lights, allowing the lantern to glow and project it's image onto the coffee table it sat on. We all walked over to the table, looking at the map projected onto it's surface. Zane picked it up, giving us all a better view.

"So, this is supposed to lead us to the only thing that will stop Nadakhan?" Nya asked, staring at the continent that sat on the surface of the table. The continent didn't look like Ninjago, but considering that this may be a one hundred year old map, I had to be cautious on what was what.

"Not stop, slow," Lloyd corrected her, "Remember, a drop of venom from a Tiger Widow can kill a normal person by how quickly it can go through the skin and into the bloodstream. It can slow a Djinn down though. Slow one down long enough for us to find our friends and stop him. If we want to trap him, we'll have to figure out a plan to get to this island."

The green ninja pointed at a small circular island at the corner of the map, my mind nearly making me believe he was older than he really was. The power of wisdom does something to people, not kidding. _You hear that? Maybe we can use that venom to poison those who opposed you earlier..._ the voice within my head offered, my mind tricking me into thinking it was good before I realized what the voice had said. Goodness, my mother is more violent than I thought. Maybe that's why father married her...

As we started to think up a plan, I felt a hand tap me on the shoulder lightly. I turned to find Hunter standing next to me, his expression a bit worried.

"Could you follow me outside for a minute? I just need some air, but I don't want to be alone and get taken by Nadaman," he asked, to which I nodded. I followed him out of the room and out through the entrance, the smell of a close pine forest greeting my nose I entered the outdoors. I heard Hunter sigh and sit against the wall of the small mansion, a relieved look on his face.

"God, Jay had put on so much cologne I couldn't breathe! It's a miracle he hasn't killed Nya yet!" the orange ninja sighed, taking another deep breath of the outside air. I didn't understand what he was talking about, as I had not smelled any cologne, but Nya's perfume allergy is serious. I wonder if she notices the smell. A period of silence fell between us before I spoke up.

"Are you still worried about your brother?" It was a stupid question, but I couldn't help but ask. Surely if something is bothering someone, they have to let it out, right? I heard Hunter sigh for the third time.

"Yeah, I really hope Napacan hasn't gotten to him yet. I'm afraid of what he'll do," the orange ninja looked down at the concrete ground he sat on, his blue eyes filled with worry. I could understand. I was afraid of what Nadakhan had done to the others too.

"Nathan will be alright. He's strong. He put up with Jay's crap last year after all," I reassured him, attempting to decrease his worry. Hunter looked up from the concrete.

"Yeah, but I'm still concerned. I mean, this Nadabran guy could be stronger than we think. He's managed to catch both Kai and Lilly with no known struggle, he disappears at will, and probably has some superpowered weapon we don't know about! It's how all the villains are, aren't they!?" he said, which got me thinking. He could be right. We don't much about Nadakhan except for his weakness, his looks, and to never get caught alone. Bathroom trips are gonna be fun. I doubt he'd pop in while someone's showering though. Can you imagine how awkward that would be?

I saw Hunter get up and stretch, then freeze as if he had seen something. He looked towards the forest, making it hard for me to see his expression.

"What's up?" I asked, trying to see what he was looking at. Before I could see though, he started jogging towards the forest, calling his brother's name. Unsure where he had seen Nathan, I tried to follow and keep up with him.

"Hunter, wait!" I shouted, following him until the earth let out a strong rumble, making me trip and tumble down the small hill that the mansion sat on. I got up as quickly as I could, brushing mulch and woodchips off my gi. It was too late though. Hunter was nowhere to be found.

 _The Donnegan Estate, 4:55pm_

 _Why is he running?_ Hunter thought as he followed his brother through the woods, the familiar winged Airjitzu insignia shining on the back of his brother's gi. _Nathan must have unlocked Airjitzu in prison_. The orange ninja smiled at his brother's achievement. _I'm proud...now if only I could get there._

"Nathan! Slow down! Can't you hear me!?" he called out, trying to get through to his seemingly-deaf brother. The master of water kept running though, ignoring the master of wind. He was about to call for him again but Nathan took a sudden sharp turn, disappearing behind a tree. Hunter followed him, only to find that he was truly gone. The orange ninja looked around frantically, searching for his brother, but only found thousands of trees.

"Nathan?" Hunter called out again, turning and looking around. _I swear I just saw him!_

 _"I'm right here, Hunter!"_ Nathan's voice replied, filling the master of wind with relief. Though, when he turned to greet his brother, he instead faced the orange-skinned Djinn, a smile on his face. Hunter froze immediately.

"It's you..." he spoke, staring up at Nadakhan.

"It's me," the Djinn replied, his smile refusing to fade. Hunter began to back up.

"Where's Nathan!? I heard him! What did you do to him!?" he questioned, shouting. Nadakhan's smile still remained.

"I'm afraid the boy and I have never crossed paths. Unfortunate, am I right?" the Djinn told him. Hunter couldn't help but feel that he was lying. The orange ninja walked up to the Djinn, anger and protectiveness beginning to control his actions.

"No. I heard my brother's voice! I know you have Nathan!" he shouted. Nadakhan's smile faded for a moment, but then his friendly look returned.

"Maybe if you wish to see your brother, I'll give you a glimpse as to where he is," the Djinn offered, to which Hunter hesitated. _He's leading me into his trap, isn't he? Though, what if he really will show me where Nathan is? I can run away from this guy and reunite with Nathan. Yeah, I'll do that._

"Fine, I wish I knew where Nathan was!" he said. Nadakhan nodded.

 _"Your wish, is yours to keep."_

A bubble suddenly materialized in front of Hunter, an image beginning to form inside it. It then showed Nathan standing on a rooftop in the City with someone in a black and red hood. The orange ninja was relieved for a moment before the hooded person raised their head, revealing his fiery orange hair.

"What!? Why is he with _Debbie_!? And where's Sammie!?" Hunter exclaimed, staring at the bubble in disbelief. Nadakhan shrugged, looking at the bubble.

"I have never crossed paths with her either. Such a shame," he claimed, floating away as the bubble disappeared. What lied in that bubble was all that Hunter needed to know.

"Well, thanks anyway Nadaban!" he said, beginning to run off. He was stopped abruptly when an orange barrier stopped him from moving forward.

"Where do you think you're going?" Nadakhan asked in a honeyed voice, floating over to the master of wind. Hunter flattened his back against the barrier, fear beginning to seep into his veins. _What have I done!? "_ You still have two more wishes."

"I don't want to wish for anything else!" Hunter argued, scooting away from the Djinn. Nadakhan smirked.

"Perhaps you want to protect that dear girl who runs the tea shop? Or maybe you want to see your dear parents again? It's been a while since you've seen them, hasn't it?" the Djinn offered, to which Hunter hesitated again. Nadakhan didn't twist his last wish in a horrific way, but what if he did now? He wanted to protect Ruby and see his parents again, but he knew he could only make one wish at a time. He didn't have full trust in Nadakhan anyway.

"Okay...I wish to see my parents again," he said, hoping to see this mother and fathers' smiling faces again. The Djinn nodded.

 _"Your wish is yours to keep!"_

Hunter waited and closed his eyes, bracing to hear his parents' voices, but he was only met with silence. A cold wind broke the silence, making him open his eyes. Everything looked normal. He was still in the forest, but Nadakhan was gone. _Where did he go? And where are my parents?_

Suddenly, he felt something bony wrap itself around his ankle, making the master of wind freeze _. Is that...?_ He looked down, letting out a scream when his eyes fell on two zombie-like creatures. In an instant, he panicked and used his wind abilities to push himself away from the barrier and free himself from the grasp of the creature. He flee himself into the trunk of a nearby tree, scrambling to his feet and reaching for a weapon as quickly as he could. He began to panic again when he realized his sword wasn't there.

The creatures crawled towards him at a slow but quick pace, their wrinkled, sickly green and rotten skin sticking to some of the sticks and leaves on the ground. Their eyes may have been soulless and their bodies rotted, but Hunter could clearly tell who they were now, shock making him freeze. "M-Mom? ...D-Dad?" his eyes widened as he recognized their facial features, despite the decomposition. He heard Nadakhan laugh.

"Just like how you remember them, correct?" the Djinn said, floating next to him. His mother's bony hand grabbed his ankle again, making the orange ninja freeze for a second time. He shook his head furiously.

"No! This isn't what I meant! You didn't do it correctly!" he shouted, glaring at Nadakhan. The Djinn blinked.

"Don't tell a Djinn how to do his job, boy," he glared back, his hook shining in the low light, "After all, I can bring back more people."

"But I didn't wish for more people!" Hunter smirked, believing he had outsmarted the Djinn. Nadakhan smiled, one of his four hands moving and making a snap. Suddenly, more decaying hands dug themselves out of the ground, grabbing onto the pantlegs of Hunter's gi. He gasped, trying to pull himself up the tree and out of the hands' grasp, but he unfortunately kept being pulled down. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Nadakhan smiling at his struggle, obviously entertained. _I hate this guy so much._

The orange ninja turned and used his wind powers on the rotten, bleeding corpses, making them let go of him. He used it again to fly himself onto a tree branch, taking a moment to breathe and plan where he's going. He decided to keep flying himself tree to tree, believing he could escape Nadakhan and find Nathan. Though, when he turned to jump to the next branch, he met another barrier.

"Do not think I'm going to let you get away like the lightning ninja did. You still have one more wish left," Nadakhan's friendly smile had turned sinister as Hunter was left confused. _Jay ran into him!? Why didn't he tell us!? We could have learned more about this whackjob!_

Suddenly, he felt many bony hands grasp his legs and ankles, pulling him down. He yelped, then quickly grabbed onto the branch, trying to pull himself up as the corpses below tried to pull him down. He didn't dare look down, focusing on pulling himself up and not what waited for him below.

"Why don't you just _wish it all away,_ boy? It would be so much easier than playing tug of war with your legs," Nadakhan asked him, seeming to be entertained by his struggles yet again. Hunter didn't trust him at all though. He didn't want to wish again, fearing he's be some sort of monster's dinner if he even wished to be free. Though, the corpses' pull on his legs grew stronger and he really felt like he was actually being pulled apart. _I'd rather have some masked serial killer chasing me than this! I'd actually have a chance to escape if I was in that situation! Nothing good comes out of being pulled on by zombies! I don't wanna end up like that guy in the zombie TV show that got his chest ripped open! ...Well, it turned out he was alive in the end but still!_

The orange ninja thought to himself for a moment, trying to figure out what to do. He couldn't trust Nadakhan, but he couldn't let himself fall either. His powers were now beginning to prove worthless against the zombies, but then an idea formed in his head. _I may not be able to trust Nadakhan, but maybe I can outsmart him...or better yet-_

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the trunk he held onto beginning to break. Then, something sharp cut through his pant leg, slicing his skin. He cringed, looking down to see that one of the corpses had cut through his pant leg with their fingernails. He sucked in his breath, trying again to get on top of the branch, but then decided to go through with his plan.

"Wait, Nadakhan! I have a wish you NadaCAN'T refuse!" he shouted. The Djinn turned to look at him, interest in his expression. Hunter thought he could see Nadakhan holding something similar to a sword, but couldn't quite tell.

"Well?" The Djinn spoke, waiting. The master of wind braced for the result of his wish.

"I wish you couldn't gran-" he began to shout before Nadakhan swung what he was holding. Hunter felt a glass blade hit him in the stomach before he could say any more, the impact making him gasp. Then, the world spun as he lost feeling everywhere, his limbs becoming numb. He no longer felt bony hands grabbing him or the sting of the scratch on his leg. Instead, he only felt nothing as a black abyss greeted him, his last thought before unconsciousness being _"That was an unfair move."_


	14. Chapter 14

_**A/N: I'm going on a trip on Saturday so this chapter is going to be posted early. There might not be an update next week because of this trip too so don't be surprised when Saturday and Sunday come and there's no new update. I hope you guys understand.**_

After making sure the rumbling had stopped for good, I ran back into the mansion, yearning to go look for Hunter but not wanting to get caught alone. I don't want to see what Nadakhan can do. I don't want to see what my friends saw before they disappeared. I never want to know. Just as I approached the doors though, Zane's falcon flew out, startling me for a moment. I watched it fly over the trees until it was out of sight, leaving me curious. Are we scouting an area? Or are we sending a message to an ally?

 _A reminder of what you were going to do!_ my mother's voice brought my focus back and pushed me to go inside, to which I walked in on the exact scene I left, except Jay was sitting on Cole's lap. You know...I always kinda knew Jay had a thing for Cole...but Jay has a thing for literally _everyone_. I'm not kidding.

"Karma? Where's Hunter?" Lloyd asked, leaning his head to one side to look at me instead of Zane's head. I sighed, trying to keep my worry under control.

"I have no idea. We were outside for a moment but then he hallucinated or something and then ran off! He kept yelling for Nathan but I didn't see him! Even worse, that stupid earthquake thing happened while I was trying to stop him and I lost sight of him!" I explained, secretly worrying that Nadakhan may have already reached him by now. Please don't let me be too late. My friends immediately got up, running to the door with me.

"We need to act fast! There's no telling when that damn Djinn will show up!" Cass shouted, bolting out the door with me. The others followed as we ran through the forest, whatever clues we could find leading us to where he could be. Every shoeprint in the mud, every shoe imprint in the leaves that littered the ground, broken twigs, all of it. We came to a stop though when we found a tree with a broken branch, various clues of someone being dragged through the leaves, and something that looked like a piece of cloth hiding beneath the old, crunchy leaves. It was like walking in on a crime scene.

"Do you think-?" Cole began, looking at the tree. He didn't even need to finish. I could already tell we were too late. Hunter must have been abducted already. I sighed, not needing the various clues to tell me that I failed at saving a friend yet again. Someone give me a round of applause.

 _They're going to blame you for this, I know it. You didn't run after him after falling, and now they're going to blame you. You're the easiest suspect,_ the voice claimed, making me worry. I didn't do anything wrong though! Is it wrong to fear for my own life? Is it wrong to keep myself safe? I mean, who would have told them what happened if both Hunter and I were gone? I technically did the right thing, but I could help but fear how my friends felt.

I watched Zane pick up the slightly small, orange piece of cloth, scanning it and forming a concerned expression. Though, it took me a minute to see why.

"There must have been a struggle," the nindroid claimed, moving one of his hands to reveal drops of blood on the cloth. My worry did not cease. "This must be from his gi. Either he fought Nadakhan, or he fought whatever came out of his wish."

"Nadakhan must have got in a fight with him because Hunter kept mispronouncing his name," Jay observed, to which some of us snickered. That could actually be the case. I heard Lloyd sigh then.

"Another person gone..." he mumbled, looking at the ground. I frowned. It was starting to seem like everyone was disappearing fast. It scared me. What if I'm next!? What if I'm captured next!?

"We'll put a stop to this soon, Lloyd. We just gotta get that venom and then we can turn Nadakhan into Djinn Sushi!" Cass told the Green Ninja with enthusiasm and determination in her voice. The boy looked up, his silk-like blond hair shining in the soft light that filtered through the trees above. A smile appeared on his lips, belief in his eyes. Something about him is so calming to me...or maybe it's because I get distracted easily. Maybe it's because just the sight of the one you admire puts you at ease. I'm not sure. My actions are always odd.

"Cass is right, so we should probably start heading to the island," Jay spoke up, rising from his crouch, "Since it's pretty obvious Hunter is no longer with us, we should head over to the docks and go get my d- I mean my private boat!"

I glanced at Jay with a bewildered look at what he almost said. Was he about to say 'dad'? Last I recall, he told me his father gets seasick easily, so why would he own a boat? Is Jay hiding something from us?

 _Of course he is. No one who is being truthful would stutter like that. He's lying, Seiko. It's evidence that your teammates are untrustworthy,_ the voice broke in, making me lose the belief that it was my mother for a second. She'd never say anything like that, would she? I mean, she liked Lloyd and Lilly. Why would she think the team is suddenly untrustworthy? I shook my head, eliminating those thoughts. Let's just save those for later and focus on our current situation.

"Good idea. Let's get going," Nya agreed, getting up and leading us though the forest and out to the docks. Something didn't feel right though. I had remembered seeing a weather report that called for storms today, but did they already pass? I don't recall seeing any rain or dark purple clouds. Perhaps they moved to southern Ninjago...or I hope they did at least.

After talking to a drunken sailor who warned us of possible storms, we boarded the slightly large boat, the damp and humid air warning my nose of what may come. I wasn't sure if it was just the ocean water or the fact that there really may be a huge storm brewing. I don't know. I don't know a lot about sailing or how to sense storms. It seems more like a thing I'd think that drunken old sailor had. Too bad he probably won't be sober until the day we return.

Just for the trip, I had grabbed a newspaper to see what kind of story the police had conjured up about us, just so I could laugh at it. Though, as our ship began to sail and flipped the paper over onto it's top side, I was met with a surprise. An awful, yet slightly relieving surprise.

There, on the front, was a headline in bold that read:

 **Another Prison Break!: Kryptarium Steps Up Security Measures After Big Breakout!**

Beneath it were two monochrome mugshots of faces that I knew all too well. One was of a boy with shaggy hair and a heart-shaped face, and the other of a young man with chin-length hair and a chiseled nose. I stared at the mugshots with disbelief as I read the article, their names escalating my disbelief, but it was unmistakable. Nathan and Alex had teamed up, excluding Sammie somehow. What had happened to her!? Nothing in the article even mentioned her!

 _See? Even one of the new members is joining those you oppose! Do you see how unfaithful your team is becoming!?_ the voice spoke louder, making me wince when hearing it. I tore the article off the newspaper and stuffed it inside my gi, tossing the rest of the newspaper onto the deck as I leaned on the railing of the ship. I ignored my mother's voice and tried to forget what I just saw, the lasting guilt of leaving Hunter behind haunting me despite everything. Though, my own personal problems decided to haunt me too. Everything I fretted about concerning Lloyd and I, the worry I had concerning who Nadakhan would prey on next, what my father thinks of me, all of it. It all tormented me like a bully teasing the smaller kid. It wouldn't stop. Especially the things between Lloyd and I. Really, what would people think!? Though, what would be new!? I've always been seen as odd for how short I am at my age, how I used to have negative body fat, how I've never experienced being turned on even through world says I should already know how it feels, how my teeth aren't straight, how I cope with depression, all of it!

"You look stressed. Is everything okay?" a soft voice startled me, making me squeak and recoil from the railing. I turned to see that it was Lloyd, who wore a worried yet charming smile on his face. I sighed. Is he even aware of how much he sneaks up on people!?

"I'm fine...there's just a lot of things on my mind right now," I admitted, leaning on the railing again. Lloyd did the same.

"Well, maybe I could help lessen the load...if you want that is," he offered. I paused for a moment, then nodded. I think it's about time we talked about this...

"There...is this one thing and it concerns the both of us," I started, afraid of how this could end. A look of interest appeared on Lloyd's face as his eyes switched colors. He didn't look worried yet. I don't want to worry him.

"Does my age bother you at all? I mean, do I, or my age, make you uncomfortable at all?" I asked him, looking down at the deck before looking back up at him. His eyebrows were knotted in confusion.

"It never has. Why ask?" he questioned. I sighed.

"Just...I'm gonna be twenty next month and I really don't want you to view me as creepy or manipulative for getting in a relationship with you at your age," I told him. His expression didn't change.

"You're not like that at all! Karma, we're only four years apart. That's not as big as some of the age gaps Fritz Donnegan had between some of his mistresses! If you wanna see creepy, look at that!" the master of energy told me. I didn't question how he knew that, but he had a point.

"I just didn't want to disturb you or anything. I didn't want to be judged or viewed as some creep because we're together," I admitted, sighing. I felt Lloyd take my hand and squeeze it gently.

"Well, Cole has always told me that the maximum age gap should only be six years while my parents are probably a hundred years apart. There's nothing wrong, okay? We're alright. Some may have different ideas, but that's just what I think, and none of that will change my idea on who I love," he smiled reassuringly, squeezing my hand a second time. I felt a bit of relief rush through me and smile form on my face as I looked down at our hands.

"You know...you can actually hug me. We aren't around any unknown stalkers or cameras," I told him, looking up. The blond smirked, his red and green eyes showing hints of adoration.

"You think I don't know that?" he asked as he pulled me forward, his other hand placing itself on my back as he leaned me back. Unable to suppress a surprised giggle, I felt my cheeks warming up.

"Who taught you this one? Kai? Hunter?" I questioned, resting a hand on his arm. He smiled.

"Maybe I taught it to myself," he claimed before leaning forward and brushing his lips against mine gently. I leaned into the kiss, my cheeks becoming warmer as a solid 10 seconds passed before I heard a whistle behind us.

"Have you guys been holding that in ever since we became famous?" I heard Cole's voice as we both froze. We broke apart immediately, our faces becoming a bright red as we faced the ghostly ninja. The master of earth chuckled at the sight of our blushing faces. I had to admit, we may have been holding that all in for a few months.

"Do you guys need help with something?" Lloyd asked, to which Cole nodded.

"Yeah. Could you take the wheel and let Zane take a break for a moment? One of the gears in his left arm locked up and now he can't move it," the ghostly ninja asked, moving some of his raven hair out of his face.

"Of course," the master of energy replied with a smile, squeezing my hand one last time before walking off with Cole. I watched him walk off until he was out of sight, then turned back to the sparkling waves below. They seemed to be getting rougher, but I didn't worry. It's just wind, right?

 _Could you stop crushing me with your thoughts!? I'm trying to keep you safe!_ the voice shouted, startling me. I sighed, gripping the railing. Could you just leave me alone!?

 _I'm keeping you alive and I'm going nowhere! You're just trying to deny the fact that your team is manipulative because some ugly boy has captivated your heart!_ the voice shouted again. I gripped the railing tighter, trying to not be affected by the remark. What kind of mother is this!? If she wasn't my mother I would have kicked her butt by now! Besides, last I recall, she actually enjoyed Lloyd's company! What's with this sudden mood swing!?

Suddenly, I could feel the ocean becoming rougher and the sky darkening. Seawater began to spray onto the boat as a downpour began to pound the decks of the ship. I turned to see Jay running up to the antenna of the boat as Cole hurried inside, emitting green steam as he ran. I guess my luck is still horrible.

That storm didn't pass after all.

 _Same time, Ninjago City_

The gusty winds from an approaching storm made Nathan's hair dance in the wind as he looked for signs of the Bounty. He knew it had to be somewhere in the City, more than likely by the police station for investigation. Though, he did not see the familiar oriental sails of his home anywhere by the police station. _Did they destroy it? No, they'd never destroy evidence._

Though, a feeling from earlier invaded his thoughts. A feeling that something was wrong. A feeling that something had happened, _but what?_ The master of water's brow twisted in confusion as he tried to think of what could have happened. Though, he believed it to just be a feeling that was spawned from worry.

"I don't think it's here," Alex notified him as he reappeared, the hood of his jacket covering his bright hair. Nathan sighed, turning to face him.

"I'm beginning to think the same thing. Maybe they took it back?" he replied. Alex shook his head.

"I doubt it. They would have been caught again already. You'd think it'd be in the junkyard maybe, but there's a huge crater where the junkyard used to be! It's like a nuclear bomb went off there!" he exclaimed, pointing to an empty space beyond the buildings. Nathan rubbed his chin.

"Are you sure you checked everywhere?" the master of water questioned. The redhead shrugged.

"It'd take me forever to search every square inch of this city. Of course I didn't-!" he began before being abruptly cut off by Nathan.

"Then it's still out there! You probably missed it! Gosh, maybe if you weren't so lazy with this we would have found them by now!"

Alex huffed. "May I remind you I have an energy limit with my powers!? I'm not some magical leprechaun who has an unlimited power source!"

Nathan sighed, turning away and glaring at the tall, shiny buildings that reflected the evening's twilight. _Why can't he just cooperate more!? I'm trying my best, why can't he!?_ He then heard the master of psion sigh.

"Listen, I know you don't like having me around. I'm annoying and a nuisance, believe me I know. I'm sorry this Djinn chose to take your dear crush instead of me, but there's a reason why everything happens, Nath. You just gotta take what life throws at you and make something out of it," Alex told him, "I promise I'll leave once you all are reunited, but for now we just need to deal with each other."

A period of silence stood between them from a few minutes before Nathan heard Alex's footsteps grow distant.

"I'll check one more place, but that's all. We need to move on," the master of psion notified him before disappearing. The master of water then stood alone, the humid wind making it feel as though he were breathing under water. He couldn't help but feel Alex had a point with his words from earlier, but he still wished he were stuck with someone else. Maybe then they would actually accomplish something.

 _If only Hunter were here._

 **25-15-21-18 5-14-5-13-25 3-1-14 2-5-3-15-13-5 25-15-21-18 7-18-5-1-20-5-19-20 1-9-4**


	15. Chapter 15

_**A/N: Hey guys, I have a small request. If you can, could you guys comment on some of the chapters? Preferably criticism? You see, comments are either what motivate me to write the next chapter or help me improve my writing. So far I think I've only gotten one sort of criticism comment? I mean, you don't have to do it but it would help me a ton if you did, thanks! ^^**_

The wind howled as I ran across the rain-slicked deck of the ship. Lightning flashed brightly before us, lighting up the sky like a star dying in a dark room.

"This isn't what I had in mind!" Jay screamed from the large antenna on the ship, another flash of lightning hitting him. Of course, our human lightning rod. He's the only one here who can withstand electrical shocks without dying.

"Well, if any of us did that instead we'd be fried to a crisp!" Cass replied, pulling her hair up to keep it out of her face, "And I don't think you want your boat sinking, do you!?"

Jay loudly sighed in an annoyed tone, making a pouty face before another flash of lightning hit him. Unfortunately, it went through him and onto the antenna, traveling through the ship and to Zane, who paid no mind to it until it actually shocked him. Ah yes, the main reason why we need a lightning rod in the first place.

"Well, without you up there, I'm afraid Zane's systems may be damaged! Besides, he is the reason why we need a lightning rod in the first place!" I shouted over the wind. Jay sighed again, but stayed silent afterwords, taking each strike of lightning that came our way.

"Zane, how about you go below deck? I'm pretty sure Cole's down there too," Lloyd suggested. The nindroid nodded, opening the door to the ship and taking the stairs that led below the deck. I was sure he was going to be fine, but inside something was telling me to stop him. I wasn't sure what it was, but it was almost the same fearful feeling I had before Hunter disappeared.

 _Below Deck_

"Cole? Are you down here?" Zane called as he walked down the short hallway, looking left and right for his phantom friend. The electrical shock from before had made it hard for Pixal to use his sensor programs, disabling him from being able to use thermal vision to spot his friends.

"I do not think Cole is here," Pixal informed him, taking a glance at the empty room ahead. The nindroid proceeded anyway, taking a seat at chess table he found in the small room. Thunder clapped outside as he studied the chess pieces on the board, confused on how they haven't fallen off the board yet from the waves.

"Perhaps it is magnetic?" Pixal suggested, but Zane shook his head.

"No, my skin would have been attracted to it if it was. Maybe it is glued on?" he replied before picking up the bishop piece, confirming that it wasn't glued at all. Then, one of the back pieces fell onto his lap. Believing it had been from one of the waves rocking the boat, he picked it up and put it back in it's place. Then, the white bishop moved forward suddenly.

"Cole, is that you?" Zane said, looking at the piece before looking up. He saw an empty seat for a few seconds before an orange flash erupted, accompanied by a strange, deep-voiced laugh. When the flash dimmed, an orange-skinned man replaced the empty space that was there only seconds earlier. He was bald except for a high ponytail and a long mustache. Zane's eyes widened the moment he recognized the man, his systems immediately on guard. A small fear erupted inside the nindroid's mind, fearing the Djinn may have abducted Cole while they were above deck.

"Your move," Nadakhan smirked, his mysterious yellow eyes glowing.

"My move?" Zane questioned. He could see Pixal with a look of concern in the corner of his eyesight. He'd have to think this all through, in order to not end up like his fallen friends, but what would he do?

"Yes," the Djinn smiled, revealing teeth and gums that have hints of scurvy, "Surprised to see me?"

"On the contrary," Zane replied, moving a black bishop piece, "After analyzing the panic on Jay's face after I was sent down here, the only logical explanation would be the fear of your arrival, signaling me that you have visited him before. Since Jay is still here, it is understandable that he has not completed all his wishes, and I fear it is the last wish that traps all the others in your sword."

Lightning flashed outside as Zane finished moving his third piece, outlining the confident and untrustworthy look on Nadakhan's face. His smile still remained. "You could say that," Something about the Djinn's smile bothered the nindroid, making him sense that there was something else to it, "You're the smart one, aren't you? I guess I should take it that you don't want to wish."

"Caution, Zane. It is foolish to believe you can outsmart h-" Pixal began, concern on her face, but the nindroid interrupted her.

"Not now, Pixal!" Annoyed by her sudden warning, he removed her from his eyesight, sending her into one of the files stored in his brain. He focused on the untrustworthy being before him, determined to defeat it. "I do want my three wishes, but on my third wish it will not be I who disappears, but you."

Zane began to move his pieces again, after seeing that Nadakhan had taken his turn. The Djinn chuckled. "Well, what are you waiting for? Make your first wish."

Nadakhan took a few of Zane's pawns off the board, seeing that he had topped them. The nindroid was paying no mind to the game at this point. Zane prepared himself. "For my first wish, I wish that you will not twist my words nor find a loophole, but understand the true intentions of the words I speak and carry out their will as I had fully instructed."

"Very well, I understand you perfectly," Nadakhan reclined in the leather seat in front of Zane, his cloud-like tail not touching the ground, "I shall take your word. Your second wish?"

Zane watched him move his pawns, thinking out his next wish carefully. He couldn't help but feel a bit worried about his outcome. "It is imperative that, from here on out, whatever harm may befall me, will be done to you tenfold."

The master of ice took one of Nadakhan's fallen pawns and threw it aside, watching the Djinn carefully. "Oooh, I've never heard that one before," Nadakhan smiled, interest and surprise in his voice, "Very good."

"Now for my third wish," Zane took his turn again. The Djinn suddenly put his hands up.

"Wait, for clarification, you said whatever harm may befall you-" Before he could finish, the nindroid spoke up, his panic beginning to grow rapidly.

"What do you mean?"

"What if said harm were done to say, _someone else?_ " Nadakhan question, a vile smile growing on his face. Fear rose in the master of ice, his eyes widening. _I didn't say that!_

"Now you are twisting my words! I-" Zane began, trying to figure a way out of this, but the Djinn interrupted him.

"Oh, I am absolutely certain I heard you perfectly. No harm shall befall you."

"I warned you not to do this, Zane!" Pixal reappeared in the nindroid's eyesight, worry in her expression. The master of ice couldn't help but regret his earlier decision, as he had a hard time finding a way to get out of this situation. "You must not make another wish!"

"By that definition, I could simply delete a bit of information from your hard-drive," Nadakhan smirked as static began to sound in the nindroid's ears. Pure fear was evident on his companion's face as her legs began to pixelize and disappear. Her body began to quickly disintegrate. Zane began to panic.

"No! N-no! W-wait! Zane! I-!" Pixal shouted, the last image of her in Zane's memory being just her hand, and one last glimpse of her shining, mechanical green eyes. The nindroid froze, unable to speak in shock and utter terror of the position he was in.

"Pixal!" Zane choked, the loss of his companion making him unstable. He wanted to wish for her to come back, but he didn't want to end up like his friends and wanted to stop Nadakhan. His emotions were making it hard to think though. It wasn't the first time he lost Pixal, but he feared that he may have lost her forever. It was almost the same feeling he had when his creator, Dr. Julien, died, but multiplied by ten _. Is this the grief that humans feel?_

"No harm in that now is there?" Nadakhan smiled, seemingly enjoying the sight of the master of ice's sorrow. The gears in Zane's head began to malfunction as his thoughts became jumbled. He hurriedly looked for a smart way to phrase his wish to reverse it all, but could only get blank spaces.

"M-My third wish...my...my third wish..." Zane began to stutter, trying to find an answer. He couldn't think. He couldn't process it all.

"Yes, your all-important third wish?" Nadakhan leaned forward slightly, as if he were listening in as the nindroid tried to think. "Make it count, but know, whatever happens to me will happen to that sweet little voice that resides inside your head erased."

Nadakhan smiled as he moved a piece to the end of the board. "Checkmate."

At this point, the game no longer mattered. Zane's thoughts were frozen and he still couldn't think. He feared what may happen to Pixal, but he wanted to stop Nadakhan.

"I wish..." the nindroid gasped, feeling as though he were a human drowning, _"I wish for it all to go away!"_

A flash erupted before him, and all his systems failed. He lost control of both his limbs and his mind as the world around him spun, before he fell into darkness, the glowing blue cores of his eyes dimming until they were black.

 _Above Deck_

Whilst dealing with a large waterspout that appeared out of nowhere, all of us tugged on a rope to keep our sails in the wind. It was becoming tougher though, despite even bringing Cole (who can pick up a car and carry it) outside, since the rain stopped. It was as though we all were trying to tug 37 Jabba the Hutts towards us. Though, as I tried my best to pull, I noticed large, spiky silhouettes ahead of of us, indicating danger. I began to feel panicked.

"Brace yourselves!" Lloyd shouted over the wind. I held onto the rope as I heard a loud crunch in the front of the ship, my fear making my thoughts think of hundreds of different scenarios where I could die in this situation. I closed my eyes as the ship lurched and began to turn to the side, bracing for the rough, cold waters below. Eventually, my grip on the rope slipped and I met the waters, holding my breath as I went under. I opened my eyes quickly, seeing nothing but blackness for a moment before swimming to the surface. I gasped for air, then quickly looked for my friends, spotting Nya and Lloyd almost immediately. Next to Nya seemed to be Jay, who looked unconscious. Though, I didn't see Cass or Cole, until I heard someone shout the master of earth's name. I looked to see Cole standing on what was left of the sinking ship, fear in his eyes as he tried to stay as far away from the water as he could. Alarmed, I started swimming towards him as fast as I could, but I froze when I heard a clearer voice yell "Hold on!"

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Cass using her wind powers to keep herself above the water and avoid the storm's gusts. She flew towards Cole, spinning in the process as a translucent purple tornado began to wrap around her legs and torso. A sphere then closed around her as it formed the Airjitzu tornado, signifying that she had indeed unlocked it now. Cole made sure to solidify his ghost form before she picked him up, allowing him to stand in the sphere with her.

"Wait, where's Zane!?" Cass asked, looking around for him. I looked at the area where the boat once stood, then to my friends, who looked worried.

"Wasn't he below deck with Cole!?" Nya asked, dipping her head underwater for a moment before bringing it back up.

"I never saw him come down! I thought you guts were keeping him above deck!" Cole notified us, making us all freeze. What does he mean!? I know for sure I saw Zane open the door to the inside of the boat and go down the stairs. Is Cole saying that we may not have seen him at all apparently? It was then that a sick realization came to mind.

"Nadakhan took him..." I told the others, what I said being the only conclusion to the mystery of Zane's whereabouts. It would explain why Cole never saw Zane and how the lightning suddenly subsided. There's no other way our android friend could have disappeared.

"Oh no..." I heard Nya gasp, her eyes wide. I noticed that Lloyd looked guilty, as if he were the one who pushed Zane in front of Nadakhan. I began to feel guilty myself then, wishing that someone else could have said it so I wouldn't be the one who made him feel down. Oh, how I hate myself for doing these things to those I love.

 _Why don't you try looking for land? Either hypothermia or exhaustion is going to kill you at this point_ , the voice spoke, distracting me from the fact that I may have made Lloyd upset. I nodded, looking back to my friends.

"Let's start looking for land! I don't know how much longer I can swim!" I suggested, to which my friends nodded. Though, when we started to swim west, I heard Nya shout something.

"Cass! Look out!" the master of water shouted over the wind, making me whip my head around. Forgetting that the waterspout from earlier was still here, I had turned to see that it had flung a large, wooden box in Cass's direction, the master of wind oblivious to it until Nya had shouted. Though, she turned too late. The box collided with the purple ninja, hitting her with such force that the sphere between her and Cole broke, sending her over our heads and to waters yards from us. In a hurry to save my phantom friend, I used my lines from the dark arts to wrap a protective bubble around him so he wouldn't die, then I turned to swim to Cass. I was stopped though.

"Wait, Karma, we'll die out here!" Nya shouted. I huffed.

"And Cass won't!? We aren't leaving anyone behind!" I yelled over the wind, trying to swim in Cass's direction despite my gi becoming heavy from the water. I then felt someone grab my shoulder.

"Karma, we have to go! Cass knows the direction we're going in! She'll be okay!" Lloyd tried to assure me, removing his hand from my shoulder.

"No she won't! You can't just leave her behind!" I argued, trying to swim towards her but Lloyd grabbed my shoulder again.

"Sometimes we have to make sacrifices, Karma! I'm afraid if you go too we'll have two bodies to deal with!" he replied. I shook my head, tears of frustration building up in my eyes.

"I'd be fine! I can bring her back!" I argued again, determined to save my friend. Lloyd sighed as if he were annoyed.

"Karma! Please! I assure you she'll be okay!" the master of energy raised his voice, making me freeze. Is he mad at me? Great, I've done it again, haven't I? I've made someone close to me angry at me. He probably hates me now, doesn't he? I should probably go with him, just to make him stop hating me.

"Okay," I complied, taking one last glance at the waters yards away before joining everyone. Forgive me, Cass. I hope what Lloyd says is right. I hope you'll be okay.

 _Daytime, Unknown Island_

The sounds of gentle waves meeting the shore woke the master of wind, sand stuck to her face and arms. She quickly got to her feet, coughing up some water as she did so.

"Ugh, what happened?" she questioned, looking around to find that she was on an island of some sort. Cass took a moment to brush the sand off herself, then the memories came flooding back. The last thing she could recall before coming here being a box colliding with her. She sighed.

"Well, this is just great! Let me guess, no one's here too!?" the purple ninja grumbled, looking around and confirming her belief. "Of course."

"Now I'm gonna die alone for sure!" she shouted, walking down the beach while grumbling. _Why couldn't I have ended up in the same place as my friends!? Are they even out there!?_ She spent a few more minutes ranting in her head before she approached what looked to be shoeprints in the sand. Cass quickly ran over to them, believing they could finally lead her to one of her friends. Though, when she got close enough to them, she discovered the shoeprints stayed in one place, as if someone stood there then disappeared. She crouched down to study the shoeprints.

"Don't tell me that teleporting idjit is on this island," the master of wind sighed, looking around. Suddenly, she heard a deep-voiced laugh behind her.

"Surprise, surprise," the accented voice spoke, making Cass freeze. _Don't tell me..._ She turned around quickly, scrambling to her feet as she faced the four-armed Djinn. She reached for her kusarigama on her belt only to find that it wasn't there. Nadakhan smiled, holding up her signature weapon on his hooked hand. "Looking for this?"

The master of wind narrowed her eyes. "Give it back!"

"Such a demanding girl. Why can't we make a trade?" the Djinn asked. Cass already knew he couldn't be trusted.

"I'm not taking any of your stupid wishes!" she shouted, pushing him away with a gust of wind. Nadakhan acted offended.

"But don't you want to see your family a-" he began to say, but Cass pushed him away again.

"I'm not falling for your bullshit! I already know you're a liar!"

"What about your friends? You don't even know their fate," the Djinn offered, making a bubble appear that showed a different beach. The purple ninja froze, then walked over to the bubble, looking inside it. She could see her friends laying on the other beach, more than likely unconscious. Though, what confused her is why she couldn't see Cole. Then, it hit her.

"Is...is Cole...?" she began to ask, looking up at the Djinn. Nadakhan frowned.

"I'm afraid spirits and water don't mix. It's such a shame, he was such a kind young man," he told her. Cass's heart sank and it was almost as if the color from the world was draining quickly. _I dropped him when I was hit...and no one caught him...No...it can't be!_ She tried to hold in tears, freezing up at the realization. _I'm to blame!_

"There is a way you can get him back," Nadakhan told her, reminding her that she could take one of her worst possible options. She took it anyway, her emotions driving her.

"I wish for Cole to live again!"

The Djinn smiled as he granted her wish, an orange flash erupting between them. Cass covered her eyes to block out the flash, then uncovered them, frozen in shock at what lay before her.

"WHAT THE HELL!?" she shouted, her eyes falling upon a small, dark-skinned infant. She picked it up, it's fluffy raven hair shining in the sunlight and it's dirt brown eyes wide. _Don't tell me this thing is Cole._

"You wished for the black ninja to live again, but you never specified what age. Don't worry. Just wait 22 years and he'll be the Cole you know today," Nadakhan told her. Cass narrowed her eyes. _At least he's clothed_ , she though, looking down at the child's dress-like black outfit. "Now, what's your second wish?"

The master of wind thought for a moment, wondering if she should take the next wish or not. _Maybe if I phrase it in a correct way I can outsmart him. Or maybe find a wish that can't be loopholed!_ "Okay, I wish for everything to return to normal!"

 _"Your wish is yours to keep!"_

Another flash erupted in front of Cass and she no longer felt baby Cole in her arms, nor felt ground beneath her feet. It took a moment before the flash disappeared and she found herself in a village. It looked awfully familiar to her, but she couldn't figure out why.

"Why don't you go inside the house you're next to?" Nadakhan suggested, floating beside her. Cass waited a moment, reluctant to do so. Then, she entered the home, greeted by the sight of a family sitting at a table. She recognized most of it's members immediately.

"Mom?" she spoke staring at a brown haired woman who was just sitting down. Her mother smiled.

"Welcome home, Cassidy. Was your hiking trip fun?"

A girl and a boy she recognized as her siblings, Amanda and Adrian, turned to look at her. Amanda making a slight wave. A black haired man with a green streak in his hair sat next to Adrian, his pale green eyes looking Cass's direction once before looking back at Amanda and Cass's mother. _That must be my uncle_.

"Hiking trip?" the master of wind questioned.

"Yeah, Sammie and Cole's dad said you told them you were going hiking today," Amanda spoke up. Cass, although confused, went along with it.

"It was okay. Nothing new," she shrugged just as a knock sounded at the door.

"Oh, could you get that Cass?" her mother asked, to which she nodded. She walked over to the door and opened it, only to find Karma standing there, holding seven small white boxes. She looked really tired.

"Ah, hello ma'am. Uh...is this the house that ordered all the noodles?" she asked, trying to read a note in one of her hands.

"Karma?" Cass said, to which the girl almost dropped the boxes, her eyes wide.

"How do you know my name!? I'm not even wearing my name tag! Are you a stalker!?" Karma asked, to which Cass raised an eyebrow. _This is weird..._

"Uh, yeah, you're my friend, remember? We're on a team of elemental masters?" the master of wind tried to help her friend remember, but the master of darkness only looked confused now.

"I'm sorry but I've never seen you in my life, and what elemental masters? Nice cosplay though," Karma replied. _What universe even is this!?_ Cass thought to herself.

"There's people who harness elemental powers like wind and water! There should be a huge famous team of them! The girls are crazy for them!" she told the delivery girl. Karma paused for a moment, then started laughing hysterically.

"You actually believe that old wives tale about elemental powers? Oh my god, that's too funny," she continued to laugh, "But the only famous guy here is Fritz Donnegan. Sorry ma'am. Here, take your food."

Cass held the boxes of noodles, raising an eyebrow at Karma. "But you're an elemental master! You're the master of darkness!"

The delivery girl continued to laugh. "Do I look goth, ma'am? Ah, you're a trip. Thanks for the laughs."

Karma walked away, leaving Cass confused at the door. _What universe is this!?_ She walked into the dining room, setting the boxes on the table as her family members looked up at her.

"What's your problem? You look like you've seen a ghost," her uncle spoke up, taking a box and opening it. Adrian snorted.

"Probably you, Uncle Morro. You're so pale you could pass as one," her brother spoke. Morro narrowed his eyes at the young man.

"At least I don't apply spray tans like Donald Trump."

Cass left the room and entered her bedroom, still dumbfounded by what happened earlier. _What have I done? I didn't wish for this! It's nice to see my family again, but at what cost? My friends don't know me except for Sammie and Cole. I more than likely don't even have my powers! Why...why did I do this!?_

"Normal just doesn't fit you, does it?" Nadakhan spoke as he appeared in her room. Cass glared at him. _He's going to ask for my last wish, isn't he?_ "Are you ready for your third wish?" She already knew it was the third wish that took her friends, but how would she find a way out of this one? She had already tried to outsmart him and it failed. She only had one option left.

"Okay, fine, I have a third wish," Cass said with confidence, bracing for what was to come, "but I want to whisper it because the walls of my home are thin." The Djinn nodded, leaning down to listen in for her wish. Cass took the opportunity.

She curled her hand into a fist and connected it with Nadakhan's face, a sickening crack coming from the Djinn's nose. Nadakhan backed up, holding his nose as he groaned. Cass took the opportunity again, grabbing her kusarigama from his hook and kicking him in the face. She jumped on his back and wrapped the chain of the kusarigama around his neck, pointing it's blade at his throat.

"One move and I'll turn your neck into a kebab!" Cass shouted, tightening the chain. The Djinn cackled as if he was confident he could beat her. She watched his sword appear and dodged it as he swung, the chain of her kusarigama unraveling from his neck. They fought, the blades of their weapons clashing every second. Cass was able to swing and move faster than Nadakhan, yet somehow he kept up with her and blocked her every move, even if the world he had put her in was beginning to fall apart. She decided it was time for her finishing move. It was time to end this Djinn's reign of terror.

She used the non-bladed end of her kusarigama to throw and wrap itself around his sword, pulling him forward as she pointed the bladed end at his abdomen. She was confident now, believing she could save her fallen friends, but it blinded her.

Just before her blade could reach his abdoment, she noticed the sword was moving towards her. In a panic, she tried to move her blade up to block it, but it was too late. The blade touched her neck and her body went numb. Cass's world spun for a brief moment before she was plunged into the darkness again. Nadakhan smiled as his new addition to the prison inside his sword entered it, sensing that victory for himself was growing nearer.


	16. Chapter 16

_Ninjago City, 9:50 am_

After witnessing a piece of the City floating into the sky, Nathan and Alex decided to see if they could jump onto the next piece that would float into the sky, believing the Bounty had to be up there somewhere. The hard part for them though was waiting for the next floating island.

"Whatever is doing this sure likes to take their time," Nathan sighed, resting his chin on his hand as he sat on the ledge of a building. He saw Alex nod.

"It's probably some god entity or something that's like 'Oh gee! I wonder what building I should steal next!'. I want its power," he said, staring off at the clouds. Nathan nodded.

"Maybe it's those Cloud Kingdom people my friends talked about. Evidently they write what happens to us and write our fate. Apparently their old leader tried to kill my friends last time they visited. I hope that guy isn't still their leader," the master of water told Alex, dwelling on the idea that his fate was already written out. Would he become a sensei like Lloyd is becoming? Would he marry the girl of his dreams? Or would he remain alone? Would he live to 100? Or is his death coming sooner than he thinks? Nathan shivered, wondering if his death really was coming soon.

"I should visit there then! Maybe then I can actually figure out if I become king of the world by the time I'm old," Alex smiled, to which the master of water snorted. _Good luck with that, Debbie._ Suddenly, the ground began to shake, making the building they sat on shake with it. "Here's our opportunity!" he heard Alex shout over the sound of a chunk of earth disconnecting from its place.

Alex looped his arm around Nathan's in a flash, interlocking his hands before disappearing and appearing on the street of the floating island. The few civilians that accompanied them on the piece of land looked up in panic as they descended into the sky. Nathan swore he heard some of them scream, and he could only imagine the kind of terror they'd have right now _. Just imagine, not knowing where you're going and being disconnected from any source of help. It's scary. I wish I could save them..._

"Hold on, I see another island nearby," Alex notified him, squinting at the sky above, and large, dirt brown dots that littered it. Small lines believed to be bridges connected some, while others floated separately. The light blue sky almost made it look like he was descending into a fantasy land in the sky, but Nathan knew it would be anything but that.

"Wait! That symbol on his back! Isn't he-!?" the master of water heard a voice behind him, making him freeze. He cursed in his thoughts, not daring to move.

"Yeah, and that guy next to him has to be that prison escapee. I can tell just by that ugly-ass hair," a deeper voice spoke behind them. Alex whipped around immediately, his hands curled into fists.

"And I can tell you're a child stalker just by your greasy-ass combover!" the master of psion shouted, pointing at the man, "Let me guess! You were just about to ask that little girl next to you if she wanted some candy! Or maybe you were about to ask her if she wants a ride in your rickety old van!"

The young girl standing nearby the man slowly backed away, hiding behind her father as he glared at him. The greasy man turned and looked at Alex furiously. Nathan sighed. "Let's go Alex, before you start anything else up."

The master of psion nodded before looping arms with Nathan and disappearing with him before the man could do anything. They teleported through three islands before appearing on one that seemed to be empty. They watched as a large airship flew by, a sea shanty blaring from the inside with mixed voices singing along. Nathan knew they were in the right place now.

"This has to be Nadakhan's dealing then, too. I was told he was a pirate of sorts," the master of water told the redhead, looking at some large crates that accompanied them on the island, as well as pieces of an old junkyard. Alex looked genuinely interested.

"Pirates? All you gotta do is wait until they're drunk off their rum and then kill them on the spot. Who's to say I wouldn't like a taste of that rum though?" he rubbed his chin, smirking as he watched the ship fly by other islands in the distance. Nathan raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"You know, considering you're Russian, I would have thought you would have been into vodka," he commented. Alex crossed his arms and looked back at him.

"That's stereotyping, young man. I'm going to have to report you," he said jokingly, "Though, I could stereotype you and say you only eat fast food burgers."

Nathan chuckled. "I bet you ride grizzly bears into battle or something."

Alex snorted. "Ha, and I bet you have guns everywhere," he retorted. The both of them broke into laughter, forgetting where they were for a moment. Though, the moment came to an abrupt halt when Alex looked to his left and immediately clamped his mouth shut. His eyes widened for a moment, and then he turned to Nathan.

"Get down!" he whispered, pushing the master of water behind the crates before crawling behind them himself. Both him and Nathan peeked out from behind the crates to see a man in makeshift armor with a dagger. He looked to be in his forties and was quite muscular, but his green and orange armor just looked like pieces of flimsy plastic glued together. The master of water raised an eyebrow.

"What's the matter? We can take him," Nathan told Alex. The master of psion shook his head.

"We don't know if that guy has any friends with him, and besides, wouldn't you rather take your ship back and stop the Djinn without causing alarm?" the redhead replied, watching the man.

"I think you forgot that I'm a ninja. I can take out enemies silently in a flash," Nathan claimed, knowing that he was still learning that skill. Alex narrowed his eyes.

"Last I recall, you were a trainee. Just trust me on this, okay?" he whispered, watching the enemy again before looking back, "I'll go get rid of him since it seems that he's alone. You stay here."

"Wait, what!? Let me do something!" Nathan argued in a whisper. Alex shook his head.

"Just trust me, okay!? I don't want you messing up right now," the master of psion whispered back. Nathan narrowed his eyes.

"Who's to say you won't mess up?" he replied. Alex gave an exasperated sigh.

"Just trust me," he told him.

"Fine," Nathan complied as Alex started to rise from his crouch. The master of psion walked out into the open, catching the attention of the man immediately.

"Oi! What in the blazes is a civilian doing-" His speech was abruptly cut off as he froze.

"Hello!" Alex greeted him in a singsong voice as the irises of the mans eyes became a glowing pink. Nathan could see that Alex's was the exact same, but the master of psion looked more excited than ever. "Let's see what makes you tick, sunshine."

The master of water wasn't sure what he was doing at first, as it was silent and the man didn't move, but then he saw the man's eyes widen. Alex raised his eyebrows.

"Ooh. Is that it? Hmm. You seem pretty scared of that one," he smiled as the man's eyes grew wider. The man scratched at his face and looked at Alex in terror as his scratching increased. Suddenly, the man began screaming, alarming Nathan. _What the heck!? He said he'd take him out silently!_

Alex seemed to notice this, because he put on a fake sympathetic expression. "Shhh, buddy. It's okay. I won't let you suffer for long," he told the man in a honeyed voice as the screaming grew quieter. Suddenly, the man brought his dagger up to his head slowly, pointing it's blade at his head. The smirk on Alex's face grew wider. "Yes, that's it. You're a quick learner."

Several seconds of silence passed before the man jerked and sunk the dagger's blade into his forehead. Nathan cringed, turning away from the sight as he heard Alex laugh as though it were a comedy skit. _What the hell is with this guy!? What WAS that!?_

"Ah, it's been so long since I've gotten to do that," Nathan opened his eyes as he heard the master of psion approach. When he reached the crates, Nathan noticed the pink glow in his eyes was gone, but his satisfied smirk wasn't. The master of water didn't know what to think.

"That wasn't taking him out quietly at all!" Nathan shouted, glaring at Alex. The master of psion shrugged.

"It fixed our problem and I got enjoyment out if it. That's all that matters," he said, turning back towards the islands. Nathan huffed.

"They probably already heard us and are getting ready to kill us! We're so dead!" he exclaimed, kicking the crate. Alex sighed.

"Well, here's the thing. There's a big ship over there," he pointed at a large airship that was floating next to an island nearby, "that is more than likely carrying your guy. The captain is always on the bigger ship after all."

Nathan looked at Alex for a moment, then at the ship. _He couldn't be wrong. I've seen it in movies, but are movies really reliable? Karma seems to think so, and so does Lloyd. Maybe they are reliable._ Though, he had no choice. Either find Nadakhan and stop him or let his friends suffer. There was only one he'd choose.

"Let's go then. We don't have time to lose," Nathan told Alex, standing at the ready. A smile came to the master of psion's face again.

"I knew you'd say that."

 _One hour later_

Sneaking aboard using Alex's ability with teleportation, the two elemental masters were able to successfully hide on board and spot Nadakhan. Though, what kept them in hiding was the fact that the Djinn was always surrounded. Even with the disguises they had donned, they couldn't catch a moment where Nadakhan was alone. Though, it was when the Djinn was organizing his crew to go somewhere that the two could finally catch him by himself.

Working their way through a small crowd of crew members, they could see the Djinn floating at the end of the deck, his sword in one of his four hands. He seemed to be dwelling in his thoughts. _A perfect time to strike_. Though, before they could do anything, they had to make sure the small crowd was sent away, so Alex used his telekinesis to break a support on the lower deck, sending his crew below.

Once they were alone with the Djinn, Alex allowed himself to float slightly above the floor of the deck so he couldn't be heard. He made sure his claw blades extended quietly first, then approached Nadakhan, his heartbeat thundering in his ears as got closer. It was almost like the time he was told to kill Misaki, someone he knew that was stronger than him. Even though he was successfully able to kill her, it didn't make him feel any stronger. Would this turn out the same way?

Alex waited a moment, then was about to slash through the Djinn but before he could, a bullet whizzed past his head, hitting the "Djinn" and turning him into orange dust. The master of psion froze, adrenaline beginning to pump through his veins. Something told him to run and not become a moving target, but something else told him that if he moved he'd get shot immediately.

"Alex! Where'd he go!?" Nathan shouted, pulling his sais from their sheath. A bullet whizzed past him this time, merely inches from his face. The master of water stumbled back, turning and locking eyes with the owner of the bullets, a mustached man with a pilot's cap on. He held two matching pistols, and one was pointed straight at him. Nathan gulped.

"What do you two sneaks think you're doing here?" the gunman asked, a slight southern accent making him sound like a cowboy to Nathan. The master of water opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly an orange flash erupted next to the gunman, making the boy freeze.

"Isn't it obvious, Flintlocke? They're a part of the Ninja's band of allies. In fact, I believe the brown haired one is one of the ninja," Nadakhan spoke, staring down at Nathan. The master of water didn't dare to move as he felt Nadakhan's piercing yellow eyes stare into his soul. Suddenly, Nathan heard someone shout, and Alex sped past him with his usual jacket nowhere to be found, revealing the structure of his blades and a crisp white undershirt. Leather straps secured the mechanisms that moved his blades onto his arms while the blades themselves were longer than his pale forearms, which one was pulled back as if he were about to punch the Djimn. His eyes were focused on Nadakhan's though, and Nathan could immediately tell what he was going to try to do. He was going to do the exact same thing he did to the man earlier, which Nathan could only assume was a mind control of some sort. Though, within a few seconds, the master of water heard a shot ring out, and watched a bullet pierce the master of psion through the shoulder. He watched as the redhead yelped and tumbled to the floor, his blades retracting as Nadakhan snickered.

"It's a shame. I've always heard that people with telekinetic abilities should be feared. This man doesn't even live up to it," the Djinn commented as Flintlocke sniggered. Nathan turned and gritted his teeth, creating a large wave and pushing both the Djinn and his gunman away. The master of water then rushed over to Alex, pulling him up by the collar of his shirt.

"Come on! We don't have much time!" he commanded as Alex stood up, nursing his bleeding shoulder. The master of psion groaned.

"I'm gonna die, I know it," he whined as Nathan narrowed his eyes. Before the master of water could speak though, a large muscular woman in armor jumped before then, knocking them both over. Her skin was blue behind her samurai helmet, and her eyes similar to a cat's. She cracked her knuckles, staring them both down.

"Don't think you're getting away so easily," a British accent dominated her booming voice as she walked forward, making both men back away.

"I didn't know the Hulk had a sister..." Nathan stared at her in awe. The master of psion shrugged despite his hurt shoulder.

"Eh...I prefer women that are smaller than me," he commented, before getting kicked to the end of the deck by the woman. Nathan scrambled to his feet immediately, holding his sais in a defensive stance. Nadakhan and Flintlocke stood by the woman's side now, all of them smirking.

"You're colleague's down and you're outnumbered, boy. I suggest you surrender," the gunman spoke, holding his pistol in Nathan's direction. The master of water cracked a nervous smile while trying to look fearless.

"It's gonna take more than that to bring me down!" he claimed, regretting his words instantly. The Djinn smiled.

 _"Very well then."_

The Djinn's crew burst out of the doors and hatches, all running towards Nathan as the boy's eyes grew wide. Instantly, it was at this moment he knew, he had screwed up. Shoving his sais into their sheaths, he ran towards the end of the deck, adrenaline forcing him to run faster. He didn't get far though, as he was tackled by a few crew members. Nathan squirmed as he was pulled to his feet, his arms restrained. He kicked, he screamed, he squirmed, trying to break free from the pirates' grasp, but they wouldn't budge.

"Alex! Get your crap together and help me! Please!" the master of water shouted, trying to pull himself from the pirates' grasp. The redhead struggled to get up though, not budging to stand. Fear began to overtake Nathan as he was pulled against his will to Nadakhan. _Please, someone, just appear out of nowhere and save me. Hunter, I know you're out there! Help me!_

The pirates turned Nathan so he faced Nadakhan, who held his unique sword. The Djinn caressed it, looking down on the master of water.

"What an unfortunate turn of events for a young hero. Your sidekick is too injured to help and you're outnumbered. Though, you _could_ turn this all around with just three wishes," he spoke, deceit in his words. Nathan narrowed his eyes.

"Nice try, but no. I know what you've done," he told Nadakhan, who raised an eyebrow.

"Really? And you don't think your fate will be different than your friends'? Perhaps you want to see your family again or see if your brother is even alive?" he asked. Nathan glared at him.

"No! I don't want to fall for your lies! I know what you want to do! I know why Soto trapped you! Now let me go!" he shouted, pulling again. The Djinn only smirked.

"Very well. _I will respect your wishes..._ " he claimed, before turning and hitting Nathan with his sword. The boy had no time to react before becoming trapped in the sword. Nadakhan's smile growing wider. The crew then walked over to where Alex sat, Nadakhan following with his sword.

The master of psion cringed as his shoulder throbbed, the sight of blood staining his shirt almost making him dizzy. _I've always been fine with other people's blood, but my own? That's a different story._ He struggled to get up again but his shoulder screamed, making him want to just lie down and let it heal. The sound of approaching footsteps reminded him that rest wouldn't be coming any time soon, and that he may have just lost his possible human shield.

"And now, for you," he heard Flintlocke say with the clicking sound of a bullet being loaded into the chamber. _I'm dead_. He thought fast, using his mind to pick up a nearby barrel and tried to hit Flintlocke with it, but the muscular woman smashed it before it hit the gunman. The mustached gunman smiled. "Thanks, Dogshank."

"I believe we should let him walk the plank, it won't be long before he bleeds out. Or, if Dogshank would like...?" Nadakhan offered. The muscular woman nodded.

"You're too kind, Captain."

She reeled up her kick before kicking him off the ship and towards the sea. He let himself fall for a moment before interlocking his hands and teleporting to the closest shelter nearby.

Within a second, he appeared before a watchtower-like structure in the middle of the sea, seemingly abandoned. Alex teleported himself to the top floor, meeting years of abandoned gadgets and furniture upon arrival. Dust covered most of the objects, while some still functioned dust-free. A small robot glided over to a tiny table, laying out a cup and filling it with what looked to be chai tea. The master of psion marveled at the gadgets for a moment before the pain in his shoulder reminded him of his situation.

He sat down at the table and first checked his wound, finding that the bullet would be easy for him to dig out. He then got up and gathered assorted clothes and fabric that were littered on the floor, cutting them into large strips with his blades. Using these strips as bandages, he first extracted the bullet then wrapped the makeshift bandages around his shoulder, wincing from time to time. His mind was elsewhere though, thinking on what to do now, since Nathan was gone.

Alex sighed, finding an old dusty blanket and laying it out on the floor. He removed his blades, laying them on the table before laying down on the blanket. Even though it was near noon, he was tired and paranoid about being alone, but it was something he had been doing for years.

"Back to the old days, huh?"

Though, as he laid there staring up at the ceiling, he couldn't help but feel that he wasn't really alone. He placed a hand on his ribcage, feeling a bruise beginning to form. The master of psion sighed.

"I should have done something."


	17. Chapter 17

_Tiger Widow Island, Midday_

I could hear waves roaring behind me as I slowly regained consciousness, memories from last night flowing into my mind at a sloth's pace. Last I recall, I was just swimming with everyone else and then everything went black. Did I pass out from exhaustion?

 _Perhaps they hit you over the head so you'd shut up over the loss of that Cass girl. They're hiding something from you, Seiko. Keep your eyes open_ , the voice told me. I ignored it for a slight moment before the mention of Cass made my eyes open wide. The memory of how we left her last night flashing in my mind, guilt beginning to overtake my thoughts as I dwelled on it. I scrambled to my feet, sand falling from my face and gi and my damp hair sticking to my face.

"We forgot Cass! We need to go back for her!" I shouted, paying no mind to those who still laid on the sand. I dashed into the waves, my thoughts irrational and in a rush as I tried to summon my dragon. Strong arms restrained me though, lifting me from the ground as I flailed and pulled at their crimson sleeves.

"Karma, we can't go back! Chances are, Nadakhan probably already got to her. We don't want to lose you too," Nya told me, carrying me away from the water. I continued to flail. _But what if...!?_

"What if she's dying or dead though!? Why can't we go back!? Why couldn't we go back for Nathan and Sammie!?" I began to sob, guilt still pulling at my strings. Suddenly, it hit me. The newspaper article. The two young men on the front. One with brown hair, one with orange hair. Nathan was freed with a complete psychopath, and perhaps had turned his back on the team. It would all be because we abandoned both him and Sammie at the prison. _Seiko, he already knows that your friends are untrustworthy and only care for themselves. Why can't you realize the same!?_

"Sacrifices have to be made sometimes. Some regretful, some for the greater good. It's just a part of life, Karma. I assure you, we'll see them again, okay? I promise," Nya told me as the others rose, sand sticking to their faces as well. I sniffed, turning to look at her. Her face was sincere. "I really do promise."

I nodded, calming down and wiping the sand from my face. Nya let go of me, lowering me gently before giving me a reassuring smile. "We almost have the key to stopping Nadakhan anyway. Don't worry."

Cole walked over just then, no signs of water damage evident on him. My barrier must have worked. That really gives me a good feeling. "Whatever you used last night really saved my life, thanks," he smiled, "Your powers really are more than just shutting out light and blinding people."

I wanted to laugh, feeling relieved that they hadn't realized it was the Dark Arts. I feared what they would do if they found out though, knowing how much Sensei Wu despises dark magic. Would they really hate it if they knew I saved Cole's life with it though? Some bad things _can_ be used for good after all.

Lloyd and Jay joined us next, trying to take into account who was missing now. The fact that both Zane and Cass were missing now began to scare me. Everyone was starting to disappear in pairs, telling me Nadakhan is becoming more active. Nothing good can come out of this. Nothing good at all. The sight of chess pieces embedded next to driftwood in the sand told us enough about Zane's fall to Nadakhan. Our nindroid friend was always a lover of chess, and he would never pass up a worthy opponent. I hated to even think of what the Djinn did to our friends, afraid of what they may have seen. I was even more scared of what I may see when I'm finally abducted. I hoped that wasn't any time soon.

"Well, maybe this wouldn't have happened if Jay just told us about what happened before we met at his 'house'," Cole spoke up, turning to glare at his best friend. Now I was confused. What does he mean!? Everyone looked at Jay, a guilty look forming on the master of lightning's face. Has he been lying to us or something? Is he a double agent?

"What is he talking about, Jay?" Nya's sweet voice from earlier took on a more serious tone as she stared at the blue ninja, one eyebrow raised. I saw a drop of sweat run down the master of lightning's face.

"Uh..." he began, before turning suddenly and pointing with a fake surprised look, "Look! There's Zane!"

Though the others turned, I stayed put, staring at Jay. Does he really think the oldest trick in the book will work on me? At this point now, I could tell he was hiding something. There was something up. _See how untrustworthy they are, Seiko? He's flat-out lying to you right now._

"I don't see him," Lloyd told Jay, who continued to point. I sighed, turning to look at the empty waters ahead with them.

"He's lying, Lloyd," I spoke, my eyes narrowed, "It's a cover-up to hide his untruthfulness."

Cole huffed. "I knew you'd do this. Listen, he's already been alone with Nadakhan. He already knows what happens. The mansion, the boat, he wished for them."

I knew it. It's all I could think about this revelation. Something was up with the mansion and the boat. There was no way the funds from our fame could possibly have paid for all that. _All the more proof you're teamed up with liars._ I was convinced. There is really something wrong with this team.

"You swore you wouldn't say anything!" Jay shouted, glaring at his ghostly friend.

"The reason he's here and the others aren't is because he never made his third wish," Cole went on, looking quite peeved with his best friend. I couldn't blame him. I would be too. "And if Zane and Cass knew that, maybe they'd still be here!"

"Why didn't you tell us!?" Nya asked Jay, looking obviously disappointed. Her question was another thing I was wondering.

"I'm sorry. I just...couldn't," Jay claimed. I grumbled under my breath.

"'Just couldn't'!? What kind of excuse is that!?" I exclaimed, crossing my arms.

Cole sighed. "Nya, it's because when he saw his reflection in the ice at the tomb, you were with him. He saw his future with you."

"You told me 'we were never gonna happen'. I thought these wishes were the very thing that would bring us together. I had to try!" Jay defended himself, looking at the ground in guilt. I saw Nya's eyes narrow and the concern in her eyes transformed immediately into anger. Jay truly did screw up, and I'd be mad too. She approached him, an anger nearly equal to her brother's evident in her light brown eyes.

"How many freaking times do I have to say it, Jay!? I'm already in a relationship! I no longer feel an attraction to men! We've been done since Zane's 'death'!" she shouted, "Why can't you just get over it and move on already!? If you need advice on that, ask my brother when we free him!"

"I just thought...you've just been so nice to me lately I though-" Jay began to speak, looking ashamed. Nya cut him off though.

"All because of a stupid reflection and the fact that I'm nice to you!? Jay, just because a woman is nice to you doesn't mean she's flirting with you or entitled to be your girlfriend! I was being nice because you're one of my best friends, but now you're really making me question the relationship between you and I! I hope you know that reflection was bull too! It was more than likely something to distract you from the fact that Morro still had possession of Lloyd!" she exclaimed. I had to agree with her. Just because a girl is nice to you doesn't mean she's flirting or anything (unless she actually is). Though, the part about the reflection, is it really true? Mine seemed to be. After all, I did see an older me, my father, and some shadow. Though, contrary to what I believe, I don't think said shadow was Lloyd. The face shape was all wrong. Though, now is not the time to dwell on that. "Well, I think I know who just nominated themself to extract the Tiger Widow's venom."

A guilty look appeared on Jay's face as Nya separated from us and started walking towards the trees ahead. I was just about to follow her when Jay spoke again, "In my defense, I just found out my parents aren't my birth parents!" I wanted to punch him.

"Oh boohoo! How sad! I bet that's horrible! It's not like both of your parents were murdered before your eyes or anything!" Nya shouted as we all walked away from him. After a small pause, I heard Jay begin to follow us, mumbling under his breath. _Jay is just proof of how horrid your teammates are, Seiko. Don't let them control you._ What would make the voice think they're controlling me?

 _Fifteen minutes later_

After a long walk through a palm forest, we reached a rickety, humble bridge. We had to cross it with caution though, the possibility of the boards breaking beneath us was high by the looks of it. I didn't really like the idea of walking across it, but I had to. Surely staying behind must be worse.

"The Tiger Widow's den should be just up ahead. Watch your step," Lloyd told us, refusing to look down. If I recall, a Tiger Widow is a spider, right? This thing better be tiny. There's no way in hell I'm dealing with spiders bigger than those wedge-shaped pencil erasers!

"You don't have to tell me twice," Cole's voice trembled in fear, glancing over the side for a moment before returning his gaze to the trees ahead. Jay sighed.

"Just how am I supposed to extract this venom from a spider? Can I ask it nicely?" the master of lightning groaned, hugging a book to his chest. It looked slightly old, but I couldn't tell what it was. Maybe it's Moby Dick? Or is he studying Romeo's lines from Shakespeare's play?

"Well, maybe if Zane hadn't have been captured you would have a nindroid around to tell you," Anger was still evident in Nya's eyes, her retort making Jay huff.

"I mean, do we know anything about this Tiger Widow? Other than the fact that it's name was meant to strike fear into the hearts of men?" the master of lightning asked as we entered the next forest, the hoots and tweets of birds making me calmer. Really, the only other thing I knew about the Tiger Widow was that it was spider. No telling what it's size is. I don't think I even want to know what it's size is. Whether it be small or large, it will always be one huge NOPE in my heart.

"Well, Zane told me it's the last of it's species, so you'll probably have only one shot at this. I'm sure you'll be just fine tho-What are you doing now!?" Cole exclaimed, watching Jay lay himself down in a 'hammock'. I had to admit, at first sight this thing may have looked like a relaxing hammock, but if you took a closer look you could clearly tell it was a large spider web. One too large for my liking.

"Resting my feet on this hammock. We've been walking for miles! If I'm going to face this thing alone, I'm going to have to be well rested!" Jay claimed, oblivious to the fact that this 'hammock' was not a hammock at all. It was clear he was going to be spider food.

"Jay, I don't think that's a hammock," Lloyd spoke up, looking concerned as his eyes changed colors again. I'm sorry, but just the fact that he can change eye colors by blinking is just hypnotizing!

"What do yo-" Jay began to speak before looking up and spotting the skeletal remains of some unfortunate traveler in the web. He screamed, flailing and kicking as he accidentally wrapped himself in the web.

"Get it off of me! Get it off of me!" I fought the urge to laugh as he continued to flail and scream, enveloping himself in the web. Finally, he broke free, spitting some of the web fibers out of his mouth. I had to admit, that had to be some of the best entertainment I've ever seen. I'd give it ten stars.

"We have to keep moving," Nya told us, continuing on our path. Lloyd and I followed, Cole and Jay following close behind.

"Haven't I suffered enough!?" Jay groaned, to which we all yelled "No!" Really, I hope that Tiger Widow gives him a good fight. Something to at least knock sense into him.

Finally, we stumbled upon a den, more than likely the Tiger Widow's den.

"This must be it, considering the spider web Jay ran into," Lloyd pointed at a murky cave ahead, a fresh animal carcass lying next to the cave as well as a few skeletal remains. The smell of the rotting remains made my nose crinkle.

"Well then, what are you waiting for?" Cole asked, looking at Jay.

"Well I'm sorry if I'm not jumping down there right this instant! You see what I'm seeing!? Of course not! Because all I'm seeing is my life flashing before me!" the master of lightning snapped. I crossed my arms.

"Must be some boring stuff then," I commented. Jay scoffed, glaring at me.

"Jay, are you ready or not!?" Nya asked before he could retort. The master of lightning groaned again.

"What happened to sticking together!? What if Nadakhan persuades me to say my final wish!? A number if bad things could easily happen to me alone down there!" he exclaimed. We all stared at him.

"Tragic," I commented, unphased. Jay scoffed again. He then sighed after a short pause, turning away.

"I have no friends," he whined, sliding down a vine and leaving us. There was silence between us all before Cole decided to speak.

"I know it's highly unlikely that she hasn't been captured yet, but I hope my sister's doing okay. Being stuck in that prison can't be easy," he spoke, staring off into the trees.

"I think she'll be okay, Cole. Nathan is with her, everything will be fine," Lloyd smiled, trying to reassure our phantom friend. The master of earth's frown didn't disappear.

"Yeah, but I'm worried about Cass, too. I'm worried that she may have drowned instead of being captured by Nadakhan. It makes me uneasy," Cole admitted, rubbing his index finger out of nervousness.

"It's alright Cole, I'm sure she's alive. Cass is strong and I know she can swim. I know she's okay," Nya reassured him. The ghostly ninja sighed.

"I know. I've known her since we were kids. She was always really strong. I just can't help but worry for her safety sometimes though," he admitted. A small smile grew on my face and I resisted the urge to say "awwww". Whether it be best friendship or a hint that Cole's feelings are beyond friendship, I couldn't help but find it cute. It was almost as if I were watching friends worry for each other in a TV show. Suddenly, Jay's screams of gibberish interrupted us all. Something told me he just found the spider.

"Then let him bite you!" Cole shouted, seeming to understand what Jay said.

"If I get out of here I'm going to bite you!" the master of lightning screamed, making me giggle. Despite being asexual, I couldn't help but have a bit of a dirty mind when it came to what Jay said. Something made me want to say "Jay, your gay is showing!" Suddenly, a sound similar to a plane's began approaching us. I looked up, spotting an airship with a hulkish figure aboard. I was instantly alarmed.

"Sky pirates!" Cole exclaimed.

"Take cover!" Lloyd commanded us, leading us all back into the forest. A bomb exploded behind us, nearly making me lose my balance as I ran. Lloyd steadied me though, giving a look of concern before looking ahead again. We turned a corner, running by the den as we heard Jay's gibberish screaming. A serious look was on Lloyd's face now, perhaps annoyed as well.

"Just get the venom!" he shouted down to Jay as we ran, avoiding a large rock. The both of us pulled our masks on, skidding to a stop as the airship circled again. The green ninja looked to me.

"I'm going to use my dregon to take down the airship. Would you be fine with finding Cole and Nya?" he told me. I nodded.

"Of course," I replied, before he smiled and ran to the ledge above the den. He summoned his glittering emerald-colored dragon and flew off. I watched him fly for a moment before running into the forest, extending my staff out of it's dormant form. Before I could move far though, I heard Jay screaming and ran back.

"I got it! I got it!" he shouted, nearly running into me as I returned. He held his canteen high into the air, pride in his smile. Though, his smile faded when an unearthly noise screeched from below.

"Um, what was that!?" I asked, afraid to look down. Dread was in Jay's expression as large, spiny legs anchored themselves in the ground, pulling up an 11 foot tall spider. My eyes grew as wide as tennis balls as the spider let out a loud screech, it's eyes locked on Jay and I. "OH HELL NO!" I screamed, running into the forest with Jay.

We both were screaming as we ran from the spider, my mask making it hard to catch my breath as I started to sprint. I sprinted as fast as I could when I saw our friends ahead, but the spiders steps were growing louder. I noticed they were starting to turn to run too, but before I could do anything, I felt a sharp tug on my scarf as I tried to move forward and fell onto my back. I looked upwards, noticing my scarf was caught on the spider's leg. I froze though when the beast brought it's head down, noticing I was there. Out of fear, I let out a scream, smacking it's head with my staff.

"No no no NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE!" I shouted, repeatedly smacking it's head until it stepped back and freed my scarf. I then scrambled to my feet and ran faster than I have ever run, catching up with my friends in no time.

"Karma, are you okay!?" Lloyd looked back and asked upon my return..I nodded, not wanting to make him worry.

"I just tripped, that's all." I assured him. Lloyd looked as if he wanted to say more, but he nodded and kept running. We all sprinted across the bridge as it sank from the spider's weight, Lloyd being the first one to lay down and grab onto something anchored to land. All of us grabbed onto each other's ankles, Cole holding onto mine as I held onto Nya's. We all screamed as the bridge broke, Jay nearly falling to his death until Cole caught him. The spider was crawling up the fallen bridge though, making Jay scream in panic.

"HAVEN'T I SUFFERED ENOUGH!?"

Before long, the spider began to pull on Jay's legs with it's nonvenomous jaws, summoning our 'great friend' Nadakhan immediately. The Djinn took a sip from his teacup, enjoying the sight before him. "You're certain you don't want to wish yourself out of this position? Time is running out. You have one wish left," he spoke to Jay, taking another sip from his teacup. I hoped Jay wouldn't wish. "You can just wish it all awa-"

"Blah blah blah! You think I'm stupid enough to fall for that trick!?" Jay exclaimed, "No way! I'd rather be eaten by a spider than listen to your bullcrap!"

The Djinn smirked as a knife replaced the teacup. "Then have it your way!"

He made a cut on Jay's fingers making him let go and fall into the abyss with the spider. Panic overflowed in my mind, regret and guilt starting to swallow me whole as I thought about all the things I had said earlier. Why did I do it!?

"JAY!" we all screamed, Cole reaching for his best friend as he fell. I desperately wanted to use the Dark Arts, but I wasn't under the cover of darkness. There was nothing I could do. All I could do was feel guilty. I watched Nadakhan disappear, all of us silent as we waited for some kind of sign to see that Jay hadn't died. Lloyd then pulled us all onto land, my thoughts blank from the events that had just transpired. We then watched as the airship began to fly away, seeing Nadakhan holding a tied-up Jay. I breathed a sigh of relief, but it didn't stop my panic.

"I'll be back for the rest of you! And since you can't get off the island, I'll know exactly where to find you!" Nadakhan laughed before his airship flew off, leaving us all in silence.

"Shouldn't we fly after him!?" Cole asked, looking concerned and worried. Nya shook her head.

"No. Save your strength," she told us.

"But he has Jay! And he just got rid of the only thing that can stop him!" Lloyd argued. Nya smiled.

"No he didn't."

All of us raised our eyebrows, looking at her like she was crazy. What does she mean!?

"He emptied the wrong canteen," she told us, holding up the true holder of the venom. A relieved smile grew on my face, hope evident in our futures again.

"You mean-" Cole started.

"We have the only thing that can stop him!" Lloyd smiled, staring at the canteen.

"And better yet, they don't know we have it," Nya smiled pridefully. I bounced up and down, filled with happiness.

"Ha ha! Take that Nadadingus!" I cheered, giggling happily. My friends smiled as well, the future no longer bleak and my hope that we can save our friends was back.

"Jay's suffered enough, it's time _they_ do the suffering!" she exclaimed, holding the canteen in the air as we all cheered.

 _Just because times are happy now doesn't mean their sins are erased, Seiko._

We'll just see about that.


	18. Chapter 18

_Julien's Abandoned Home, 4:30 pm_

After passing out from exhaustion hours before, Alex felt himself slowly regaining consciousness, his mind still exhausted from the few messages he had to transport through his mind long distance. The process was beginning to become tiring, but his boss insisted that he must transport his boss's thoughts to Karma and vice versa. He regretted making the deal with his boss back when he was in prison, but he had no choice at the time. The way his boss had threatened him had struck fear into him, and he'd rather do this than end up like those poor souls who were killed in the Ignacian Murders, nor end up like his mother. He hated to even think if the victims' children had been killed too.

Now, he must transport his boss's important thoughts each day until a supposed deadline. He had no idea why his boss was targeting Karma specifically, but he could only infer that it was because of her powers and how easy it was to manipulate her. _Darkness is usually the element that goes rogue after all. It's only natural. Though, I'm surprised fire hasn't gone rogue at all yet._

Alex rubbed his eyes for a moment before opening them, his vision blurred for a short time. For a second, he thought he was looking at the ceiling, but as his vision unblurred he realized he was staring straight at an android's face, it's eyes glassy and it's mouth plastered with a smile. The master of psion's heart stopped.

"Hello!" the android greeted him, making Alex scream. The master of psion scrambled to his feet and tripped on the table where his blades lay. Still screaming, he avoided getting his knee impaled and tripped over a few more things before backing up against the window and falling through it. Before he could fall to his death though, something grabbed his ankle, making the master of psion flail uncomfortably.

"Do not worry! I will save you!" the android notified him, pulling him back into the tower. Alex panicked on the inside, afraid of what his fate may be at the hands of the android. _Our robot overlords have finally invaded and are going to kill all human life! And I'm going to be the first casualty! I'll make history but at what cost!?_ Once the android had pulled him inside, the master of psion flattened himself against the wall, trying to stay as far away from the robot as possible. The android raised one mechanical eyebrow. "Is something the matter?"

"You're gonna kill me, aren't you?" Alex asked, pulling his knees to his chest. The android looked confused.

"The action 'kill' is not in my programming. I only know how to care, save, and befriend," it smiled reassuringly. The master of psion didn't know whether to trust it or not. The android's smile faded and shuffled over to the table, picking up a red and black jacket. Alex's eyes widened.

"I thought that thing blew away when I took it off!" he jumped to his feet, walking over and taking the jacket from the android. He hugged the jacket like it was an old friend he hasn't seen in years and buried his face in it. The android smiled.

"It was hanging on one of the rocks outside. I believed it to be yours when I found you sleeping here," it informed him, staring at the bloodied bandages on his shoulder. "...Is that a piece of my father's undergarments?"

The master of psion froze, then removed his face from his jacket and stared at his makeshift bandage. Surely enough, one seemed to have fabric similar to that of boxers. Alex nearly puked, screaming in disgust as he pulled off his makeshift bandage. He brushed off his wound and hurriedly looked around for sanitizer, still nearly puking.

"You know, if germs bother you, the bloodstains on your shirt could possibly become contaminated and infectious," the android informed him. Alex cursed.

"Stop making me paranoid!" he shouted at the android, now searching for hydrogen peroxide. His mom used to use it on her clothes all the time, so he believed it would work for him too. "Where did your 'father' keep all the hydrogen peroxide!?"

"We do not have any. That only works on jeans though," the android informed him, "but I can remove the blood for you."

Alex ran over to him immediately, pulling off his shirt. "Clean it then! The future leader of the world shouldn't be dying of an infection anytime soon!"

"You are a future world leader?" the android asked, allowing a small robot to fill a bucket he found with cold water. The master of psion smirked.

"Why yes, I am. The rightful heir of the true king of the world! I've decided to let democracies have their fun before I eradicate them all. Then, once I am in control, I'll rid the world of toupee-wearing bloodsuckers and money snatchers! The world will be beautiful again and there will no longer be any corruption! Only a peaceful utopia known as Earth! I'm the messiah that will save this wretched planet!" Alex lied, laughing pridefully. The android continued on with cleaning the stain, giving a look of interest.

"My father never informed me there was a king of the world," the robot told him. Alex tried to think up a lie as fast as he could.

"Well, you see, he was probably keeping it a secret because the government doesn't want anyone to know about me. The government wants to kill me you see. They don't want me to make the world a better place," he told the android, trying to sound genuine. He sighed when he noticed visible but small cuts on his arms from where his blades had sat. He made a note to himself to make the protection sleeves longer.

"That is terrible," the android commented, not looking up from the bucket. Alex nodded, sitting down and fidgeting with the mechanism that moved his blades. _Truly_ , he thought to himself, thinking about how much his made up story related to his situation now. He only wanted to change the world, but the people that he wanted to be his allies oppose him and those he wishes not to be near him use him. _It doesn't help that those murderers from Ignacia are still out killing elemental masters. I'll probably be an easy target for them if they catch me at the right time, considering how easily I can tire from my powers without food._ Though, the murderers weren't what scared him the most though.

 _Though, my new boss...he's so demanding. He makes me so tired-_

 _ **Tired? You're tired when you've slept for a good few hours? And I'm demanding? Maybe I just want you to get the job done. After all, my messages to our subject have been delayed recently from what I've noticed. Are you slacking?**_

Alex winced at the sound of his boss's true voice breaking into his mind. He sighed, pulling on his jacket and zipping it up.

 _I told you how quickly using brainwave manipulation and entering people's minds drain my energy. I have to take breaks and sometimes even sleep for a full 24 hours. Unless you have a three course meal ready for me, it's going to be hard for me to have lots of energy right now. I suggest you keep your thoughts to yourself right now. I don't think I have enough energy to transport whatever message you have next._

 ** _Really_**? The voice was filled with fake surprise, making Alex slightly fear what his boss was going to do now. He couldn't reach him though. Alex was in a watchtower in the middle of the sea and his boss was somewhere near Stiix and the Wind Farms. _What possibly could this guy do?_

Suddenly, a sharp, high-pitched ringing filled his ears, making the master of psion cringe and cover them. Pressure began to build up in his head, making it hurt and feel as if it were going to explode. He groaned, resting his head on his knees as he heard nothing but the ringing. Then, his limbs began to burn fiercely, as if he had made contact with the sun. He screamed, despite no flames being visible. Every inch of him either burned or felt as if it were going to explode, his mind begging for it all to stop. He fell over, nearly curling into a ball as the pressure in his head increased, making him feel like an overinflated balloon. The ringing then decreased.

 _ **Just get your job done, okay? Let this be a lesson, boy.**_

The pain and pressure then began to fade as Alex gasped like a fish gasping for water. The voice faded away as he heard the android's voice instead, and felt a cool metal hand on his arm.

"Are you alright!? Is everything okay!?" the robot asked, looking concerned. The master of psion didn't answer. Instead, he felt something warm on his injured shoulder, a sign he didn't consider to be good. Alex sat up slowly, slightly dizzy from the pressure that had filled his head earlier. He pulled on the collar of his jacket, looking at his shoulder only to see that it was starting to become soaked with blood. The master of psion sighed.

"Crap."

 _Tiger Widow Island, 5 minutes later_

Lloyd approached the island on his dragon after trying to see how far away land was from the island. I waited in anticipation with Cole and Nya as he flew closer, nervousness beginning to dominate my excitement. Finding land would be our first step to getting Jay back, but at the rate we're going now it may take forever. I hoped that Jay was not being hurt, but there was no telling what Nadakhan was doing to him right now.

Lloyd's dragon faded as he reached land, somersaulting into the sand before we could catch him, his energy drained. We helped him up, the master of energy groaning as he was pulled to his feet.

"Are you alright?" Cole and I asked at the same time, deciding not to yell "Jinx!" at each other considering the situation. I could have made Cole owe me a soda if I wanted to. "Did you see any land?"

Lloyd shook his head. "Just water. I tried to reach the mainland but...it's too far. We won't be able to get off this island on our own..."

Cole chuckled then, making us all raise an eyebrow. What's he laughing about!? We're facing death by starvation and dehydration with no one knowing where we are and he's LAUGHING!? I should have jinxed him. He would have deserved it now.

"What's so funny about our predicament?" Nya questioned him, placing both her hands on her hips.

"Oh, I was just thinking about what Jay might say to that," he told us before taking a deep breath and speaking in his best Jay voice, "You're telling me we went through all that trouble to get the venom to stop Nadakhan and now we have no way to get off this island!?"

Cole chuckled for a moment before looking a bit upset. "Gone one day and I already miss him spazzing out..."

I smiled and walked over to Cole. Then, in my best Jay impression, I said, "Don't cry Cole! Just scream 'I hate Fist to Face 5' into the sky and you'll hear me shouting from afar!"

Cole laughed, smiling now. "You aren't wrong. He'd do that."

"I kinda feel guilty though," Nya admitted, "After he lied to us, I was so hard on him. And now he's captured and all alone! Some friends we are."

"Well, he did only think about his own personal benefit instead of telling us how to save ourselves," I reminded her. Nya sighed.

"Yeah, but it was no reason to be so hard on him like that. I guess I was just fed up with the stupid love triangle thing. God do I hate triangles now," she said. Lloyd put a hand on her shoulder.

"Jay's strong. We'll get him back," he told her, before removing his hand from her shoulder, "It's like what Uncle Wu once told me, 'If you want something bad enough, you find a way to make it happen'."

"He's right," Cole agreed, "If we can't fly off this island, we'll build our way! I've seen enough movies to know it's possible!"

"And if we built a rocket off an astroid, we can surely build a boat to sail across-" Lloyd began to say, before Nya spoke in a voice similar to Jay's.

"Across an endless sea full of bloodthirsty sharks and unknown creatures that want to eat us!"

We all broke into laughter over Nya's impression, our moods lightened and hopeful.

"Well, what are we waiting for!? Let's get building!" Nya shouted, running into the forest. We all followed her, with our spirits lifted as high as the sky. Despite most survival movies showing the protagonist making some sort of rickety driftwood-like boat, I believed we could make something better than that. It's just my imagination talking but what if we actually made a yacht out of everything on this island? That would be sweet.

 _Thirty minutes later_

I tied two logs to our raft together with some strong seaweed I had found washed up on the beach. After combing the beach and forest for materials, we managed to make a raft large enough to carry all of us. Deciding not to use my beloved scarf as another tie, I tied it around myself like a sash so I wouldn't overheat from the sun. It was enough that the black pieces of my gi were already attracting heat. I can't count how many times I've had to remake the bun in my hair too.

"One more round of palm ties and I say she's secure enough for sea!" Lloyd claimed with positivity in his voice. I sighed, realizing I had been using the wrong material for the tie and replacing it. Typical of me.

"Why is it that all sea vessels are she's?" Nya asked, securing the sails. Cole shrugged.

"I don't know. 'Cause it's a lot of pain to make them look good?" he suggested, making Lloyd giggle. The glares of both Nya and I made him stop though. I wouldn't say that's the case. I can make myself look cute with ease. All I have to do is love myself. That was Luo's secret ingredient anyway, other than pastel makeup.

"I don't know Cole. I wouldn't say making Lloyd's hair look the way it is is a breeze," I spoke up, making the Green Ninja raise an eyebrow, "Don't even get me started on Kai's hair!"

All of us broke into laughter as we tied the logs together. "You aren't wrong, I swear he goes through seven bottles of hair gel a week!" Lloyd laughed.

"Who's to say you don't go through a lot of hair gel either? I doubt you just wake up with the signature Garmadon Family Hairstyle," I giggled, ruffling his hair. A slight pink blush grew on the Green Ninja's cheeks.

"Yeah, but at least I don't use my bedhead as a daily hairstyle," he chuckled, "Or continuously tell Lilly to cut her hair when mine's just as impractical."

I crossed my arms and stuck out my tongue. "You'd get upset if I cut mine because I'm the only one who lets you braid my hair, other than Dareth and your uncle."

Lloyd nodded and shrugged. "True."

"I was kidding about that joke though, don't hurt me," Cole told Nya, putting both hands up as she patted her palm with a makeshift hammer. It looks like she considered threatening him for a moment before her angry expression faded.

"Just think about what you're going to say next time, okay?" Nya told Cole, making sure the sails were in place. The ghostly ninja nodded.

"Yeah. I'll remember," he said.

"Hey, uh, did anyone take my ties?" Lloyd asked, looking around for his palm leaves. I shook my head in response.

"Not me," Cole responded.

"I didn't touch them," Nya answered.

"Huh, I could have sworn they were right here," Lloyd said, scratching his head. I began to consider the thought that I may have taken them, but I forced it out of my mind. Nuh-uh brain, you're not making me guilty for no reason today. "All this sun must be baking my brain."

He started to walk towards the jungle then, rubbing his face. "I'll go get some more."

I stood up immediately, jogging over to catch up with him. "Careful, Nadakhan's still out there."

"Right, forgot about that, sorry," Lloyd said as we walked into the jungle. Though, as he gathered palm leaves, he frowned, looking at the new ties. "I don't think these will last very long."

I crouched down, looking at the leaves. Surely enough, they didn't look as strong as the others, nor did they look strong enough to hold logs together. We must have taken all the good leaves.

"I can fly over the bridge and see if there's anything on the other side of the island," I told him, rising from my crouch. He stood up as well.

"I'll go with you then," he said. I gave a look of surprise.

"But what if we get lost? Who will tell Cole and Nya where we are?" I asked. Lloyd shrugged.

"They'll figure it out. Surely if we're together Nadakhan couldn't have gotten to us. Besides, Horror Movie 101, don't venture into a forest or jungle by yourself," he reminded me. He wasn't wrong.

"Yeah but Horror Movie 101, you don't venture into the forest with another person," I reminded him. Lloyd sighed.

"Anything's a dangerous situation in a horror movie. Changing your shoes could even be dangerous. Let's just deal with it and if Nadakhan shows up, we go together," he said, shrugging. He wasn't wrong, and honestly I'd prefer that instead of going alone and facing a visit from Buttface the Djinn. Though, as we turned to walk to the other side of the island, we heard a rumbling beneath us, and we both looked at it each other, sharing uncertain expressions. We may have just stumbled into danger again.

 _Nadakhan's airship_

Ever since he was captured, Jay had been forced to clean the decks of the ship and watch as the floating islands grew in size, pieces of the City bring added every four hours. Throughout the day he had tried to escape, but all his attempts proved futile, especially with the fact that a vengestone weight attached to his ankle made it hard for him to run now. A dinner with the Djinn himself made him nervous though, especially with the way Nadakhan acted. The Djinn had claimed he was Nya's suitor and a rival, even though Ashley was clearly Nya's 'suitor'. Jay had tried to point out to the Djinn that Nya wasn't interested in either of them and that now he, himself, lost interest in her, but it didn't phase Nadakhan at all. Even when he flat out told the Djinn she was a lesbian he thought he said "less bean".

Jay sighed, humming a tune he had heard on the radio not too long ago as he mopped the deck for the third time today. He could feel a warm substance in his hair as he dipped his mop in the bucket, telling him that he had gotten pooped on by a bird again. He cursed under his breath, not bothering to remove the poop from his hair. Instead, he just continued doing the job Nadakhan assigned for him with a downcast mood. His humming turned into a quiet singing of the song's chorus, despite knowing his shrill voice could possibly kill a man. _Windmill, windmill for the land. Turn forever hand in hand..._

He could now hear a few of Nadakhan's crew members arguing a few feet away with their cyborg monkey pet. Amongst them was a serpentine crew member who Jay assumed to be an ally known as Clancee. The serpentine hadn't abused him as much as the rest of Nadakhan's crew did and Jay had slight trust in him, but he didn't know if he could put full trust into Clancee yet. _The nicest people can turn out to be big jerks sometimes anyway.._

He then heard Nadakhan's right hand man, Flintlocke, walk by, his metal boots pounding the deck. Jay scooted over to catch up with him immediately, hoping he could talk to the gunslinger.

"The crew really listens to you," Jay noticed, watching as Clancee and the monkey separated.

"Nadakhan is a good captain. My job is to just make sure his ship runs smoothly, and take care of any _disturbances_ ," Flintlocke told him, the last part making Jay freeze. _Has somebody already attacked the ship? Or is he talking about Soto?_

"What disturbances have there been so far?" the master of lightning asked. The gunslinger rubbed his mustache.

"I believe the only one may have been just yesterday. Two young men managed to kill a crew member, break onto the ship, and attempted to kill the captain. Nadakhan captured one of them and I managed to shoot the other. Easy job," he told him. A sick feeling began to grow in Jay's stomach.

"C-Could I ask what they looked like?" he asked. Flintlocke nodded.

"One had brown hair and it looked like he had blue eyes, and the other had orange hair and these weird swordpieces attached to his arms. An odd bunch for sure," he informed Jay. The master of lightning almost threw up. _Brown hair, blue eyes? That has to be Nathan. He must have escaped prison, but who was he with and...was he the one that got shot?_

Shaking his head and going along with a newly formed plan to get the crew to mutiny Nadakhan, Jay went on. "But how can you make sure everything runs smoothly when your captain doesn't tell you everything you need to know?"

He had heard Flintlocke talk before about how Nadakhan never told him a lot, so he wasn't surprised when the gunslinger raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? Like what?" he asked with disbelief.

"It's nice of you all to help him make this world-"

"Djinnjago's for all of us!"

Jay shrugged. "Maybe, but how long do you think he'll keep you around when he gets infinite wishes?"

The master of lightning had already heard Nadakhan's plot to marry Nya and get infinite wishes, but he didn't understand why the Djinn wouldn't marry one of his crew members to get the wishes. It'd be so much easier than attempting to kidnap a woman who could cut your throat in your sleep without batting an eye. Surely the crew members would understand what their captain wanted and go along with the marriage ceremony. Nadakhan could wish for them to look like Nya later. Male or female.

"Everybody knows. Nadakhan ain't gonna get no wishes and everyone only gets three. That's that," Flintlocke claimed. Jay laughed in his head.

"That's not what he told me," the master of lightning said. Flintlocke gave a look of interest. "After a Djinn prince marries on Djinn land, he gets it all. You've seen how he looks at Nya, and how she reminds him of this Delara chick. But, haha, what do I know? I'm just a low man on the totem pole. You're such a useful man, I'm sure he'll keep you around when he can wish for, you know, _anything_."

"But listen to me," Jay went on, "The crew listens to _you_. If you wanna stage a mutiny, now's the time. Not when he's all powerful. Don't let him take advantage."

Then, suddenly, Jay felt a chill crawl up his spine, announcing that someone was standing right behind him. He froze immediately, not daring to move.

"What lies is our little canary whistling now, hm?" Nadakhan asked as her levitated past Jay and over to Flintlocke. The master of lightning gulped. _He heard everything, didn't he?_ "Perhaps another plot to escape?"

"It's true! He's the one that's lying! He's the one who spoke to me at dinner!" Jay shouted, shuffling over to Flintlocke. The gunslinger snickered.

"Riiiight, and I have trouble shooting water in an ocean!" he joked, walking away with Nadakhan and leaving Jay with his mop.

"Perhaps we may have been too hard on our guest. Maybe we could include him in some of our on-ship entertainment," the master of lightning heard the Djinn speak in a honeyed voice. Whatever it was, Jay didn't have a good feeling about it.

"You don't mean 'Scrat & Tap', do you?" Flintlocke asked, going along with the fake sweet act. They both then started laughing as Jay got a sick feeling in his stomach. _I don't like where this is going..._

 _Thirty minutes later_

 **(A/N: If you are squeamish about eyes like I am, then please look out for these symbols: **, ••. These signify the beginning and end of the part where you may feel uncomfortable. Feel free to skip said part if you like.)**

Jay found himself in a makeshift ring surrounded by Nadakhan's crew. They were cheering and whistling as Jay stood in the ring, his hands trembling in worry of what was going to happen. The cyborg monkey stood on the other side of the ring, howling angrily as it jumped back and forth. The master of lightning could only assume this was a fight club they had. _Yippee_.

"The rules are simple," Nadakhan announced, "May the best one win. Let us scrap. Begin!"

Jay held up his fists and stood in a defensive stance, his hands still visibly trembling. Even though he was just facing a feeble monkey, he couldn't help but not trust the animal's look. Though, the vengestone weight was holding him back.

"Take this thing off and let us have a fair fight!" Jay shouted, glaring at Nadakhan. The Djinn turned around immediately.

"Well," he said with a little chuckle, "We're pirates!"

Immediately, the monkey pounced on Jay, the weight of the animal surprising the master of lightning. He nearly fell over as it's metal fist connected with his face. Jay immediately tried to swing the weight to hit the monkey, but ended up falling over instead, allowing the animal to scamper to his face and pull his hair. Jay then pulled it off him, throwing the monkey to the ground. It howled angrily a second time as Jay got up, the monkey knocking him off his feet again and throwing the weight onto his chest. The master of lightning gasped and coughed, feeling as though he were being stepped on by a giant. _This sucks_.

He pushed the weight off himself immediately, standing up and glaring at the crowd. "Alright! You've had your fun!" he shouted, trying to walk into the crowd, "I'm tapping out! Who's next!?"

Nadakhan chuckled as Jay was denied entry into the crowd. "Oh, no. The loser doesn't tap out. Only the winner does!"

Jay gritted his teeth, frustration building up inside of him. _If you're going to kill me just do it already you sack of crap!_

"You have to stay in until someone else loses, so, who's next!?" the Djinn went on, pushing Jay back into the ring. The master of lightning then locked eyes with a white-skinned man wielding a bamboo staff. His face had various red tattoos on it, and seemed he didn't have any eyes at all. His golden teeth were similar to that of a saber toothed tiger's and his armor similar to that of a samurai's. Despite the man's scary look, Jay had confidence he could beat him. _I've sparred with Karma before. If he moves in any way similar to her, I can beat him!_

Taking his defensive stance again, he watched as the man walked into the ring, popping his neck as he entered. Immediately, the tattooed man attacked Jay, his moves with the staff faster than the master of lightning's teammate. Jay tried to block the staff as much as he could, but he ended up getting hit the face and abdomen more than blocking. Rather than get hit again, Jay waited for the tattooed man to leave himself open, then tackled him, pounding his face with his fists. It wasn't long before he was kicked off the man though, the man's head spinning until it secured it's correct face in place. The man's attacks began to get faster now, Jay having difficulty blocking now. _Oh Karma, why couldn't have you been like this guy so I would have known what to expect!?_

As the attacks went on, a crunch came from Jay's nose as the staff connected with it, then he was knocked to the ground, blood leaking from his nose. "You know, you can get out of these fights if you just _wish it all away,"_ Nadakhan whispered as the master of lightning lay on the ground. Jay got up immediately, backing away from the Djinn.

"Bring it. I can take it!" Jay shouted. Though, he regretted his words immediately when the ship began to rumble. The large, hulkish woman from the time he was kidnapped walked into the ring, cracking her knuckles. Jay began to back up immediately, knowing that this may be the end for him.

The woman didn't hesitate to pick him up and slam him on the ground several times before even letting him make a move. Jay coughed after the final slam, his torso aching. He tried to get up then, his ribcage aching in protest, but he tried anyway, only to get punched to the floor in the process. He could taste copper in his mouth.

He then heard a clicking sound and looked up, fear evident in his eyes. He could see the woman now securing spiked knuckles to one of her hands. Jay's eyes widened as he realized what was about to happen. _No! I'm not going to die today!_

He scrambled to his feet, trying to run away, but the woman caught his weight. He was pulled back, her unspiked fist connecting with his body several times. Then, he was pushed forward and pulled back again, her spiked knuckles aimed for his face. Jay didn't have time to move before the knuckles sank into his face sideways, one of the spikes impaling his right eye. He let out a bloodcurdling scream as pain exploded in his eye socket, the woman removing her spikes from his face and slashed him across the back. Blood began to spill from the injured eye and his face, all of it making the master of lightning dizzy. The woman didn't hesitate as she beat him several more times, then slammed him on the floor one more time.

••

Jay was barely conscious as he laid on the floor, blood leaking down his face and every inch of his body screaming in pain. He couldn't move, and he didn't want to. He was afraid if he moved any farther the woman would snap his neck. He wouldn't have time to move though. As black began to fill his vision, he could only think about what he's done and how he may deserve this.

 _It's no wonder they left me to be spider bait._

 **(A/N: Geez, two updates in one weekend, am I right? Anyways, I just wanted to tell you guys that I'm in the process of making a sort of backstory with some of my ocs {Xavier and Yamikani} that will explain some of the things mentioned in the first part of the update [who Kai and Nya's parents' murderers are]. It will take longer to update because of the way I'm writing it but once it's up and you can write it if you'd like. If not, don't worry! There will be explanation in the last volume (volume 5) (this is volume 4 by the way). I just felt like I'd have an easier time explaining it all in a back story. Keep an eye out for a story titled "The Crystalline Child"! ^^ Thanks for reading.)**


	19. Chapter 19

_Ninjago City, 9:50 am_

I have to admit, the last sixteen hours went by in a flash, and in a way I didn't expect. First, it all started off with Lloyd and I returning to the beach only to find giant sandworms were ravaging our raft. To be honest, it was giving me some _Beetlejuice_ vibes and I honestly considered punching it's nose like Barbara did. Though, it's mouths were bigger than the one's in the movie and I felt I would have been an easy snack for the creature. We managed to save our raft by nightfall and successfully start sailing the sea, but our raft then started to fall apart. Of course, Cole was terrified and hanging onto us, but it wasn't long before our untrustworthy miracle appeared before us. With the shine of a flashlight and a gust of wind coming from the vehicle itself, a helicopter had flown to us, carrying that asshole Ronin and the police commissioner. I didn't trust that beacon of hope at first though, despite my friends boarding with no questions asked. Something about the sight of Ronin, the man who turned us in for a bounty, and the police commissioner told me to stay on the sinking raft. I didn't feel like being sent back to Kryptarium. Though, I boarded anyway, choosing not to die in the shark infested waters below the raft. It would be later that I found out that the only thing stopping them from sending us back to Kryptarium was the fact that we were the only ones who could stop Nadakhan and his forces. Evidently, our little Djinn friend had been stealing chunks of land from the City and making his own little assortment of islands in the sky. Not something you'd expect from a being who wants to annihilate anyone not on his pirate crew.

So now, I sit in the studio where my teammates had filmed a commercial promoting reading not too long ago. I can hear Dareth flabbing his lips as my teammates discuss ways to infiltrate Nadakhan's ship. Honestly, the only thing I'm listening to is my stomach growling. I haven't had food since the day before yesterday, and I'm honestly wondering how I'm still alive. You see, elemental masters can't go without food for a while. Considering our powers use up a great amount of our body's energies, it's reasonable that we need lots of food and even lots of sleep. Even people like Lilly have this issue, though, you don't get it until your powers begin to form. So, considering I haven't eaten in a while and it doesn't look like the studio is allowing us to eat, it's no wonder why I'm feeling drained and barely conscious. I really hope we aren't infiltrating Nadakhan's ship, despite my worry for Jay.

I watched some bespectacled men point at blueprints on an easel as Lloyd attempted to speak like a pirate. I hate to admit it, but his attempt was quite...dull. It sounded too forced though. I couldn't complain though, my accent is probably going to mess up my pirate dialect...if we're going undercover that is.

"Good try, but work on that, kid," I heard someone to my right say. I looked over to see two bespectacled girls sitting on a nearby crate and a boy standing nearby. One girl had short, dirty blonde hair and another had long, dark brown hair, while the boy looked quite similar to Hunter. I have to admit, I had to do a double take to make sure it wasn't him. They all were dressed pretty casual and looked to be teenagers. I was quite confused on why they were here in the first place.

"Yeah, but aren't you guys supposed to be ninja? Can't you just sneak around with ease? I'm sure a flying pirate ship would be easy to hide on," the dark haired girl commented. The men by the easel looked confused.

"Shouldn't you kids be in school!?" one of them asked. The blonde girl frowned.

"There's no way I'm taking that math test I have. I'd rather watch you guys plan. My teacher's a jerk anyway," she said. The boy nodded.

"Yeah, this is interesting," he smiled. One of the police officers started to approach them.

"Go on! Scram before I call the truancy officer!" he shouted, making the three of them run off.

"Good luck Ninja!" I heard one of them shout while another was shouting "Dear God don't tell my mom I was here!"

The men by the easel sighed, then went on with their talking, my attention wandering back to my stomach again. It seemed enough that we were going to be disguised as pirates, so I started thinking about food. Macaroons, cabbage, _yakitori, mochi_ , ramen, you name it, I was probably thinking about it.

 _You're torturing yourself by doing that_ , the voice told me, a slightly different sounding one this time. It was hard to tell who it sounded like, but all I can say was that it was a distorted male voice, nothing like my mother's distorted voice that I had been hearing. Are there two people inhabiting my mind? It's hard to tell. I hope it's not Morro or anyone I don't know.

I waited until my friends were getting suited up before suiting myself up. I've seen enough pirate movies and documentaries to know what true pirates look like. I sat myself down in front of one of the vanities and took a case of makeup from one of it's drawers, finding the dark shades immediately. I used a foundation to make my pale face look more tan and applied dark eyeshadow faintly beneath my eyes to make it look authentic. A brown lipstick made my lips match the slightly tanned complexion I had and I used darker material to make my face look dirty. I then pulled my hair into pigtails with a separate ribbon and my own. Both were chewed up enough to make me look like an authentic pirate kid. All I needed was the sword and the dialect.

I took a look at myself in the mirror, staring at my makeshift armor and pirate clothing. I looked like the real deal, but I had a feeling my accent would ruin it. The way I pronounce my l's, r's, and v's would ruin the Old English I would try to speak. I just know it. I was jealous of the fact that Kai and Nya didn't have an accent. Though, my makeup skills really paid off. All that training during theater class in middle school really paid off. Not wanting my scarf to be left behind, I tied it around my waist as Lloyd walked up, looking more like a lower-level pirate.

"I guess you didn't really need help from Dareth with your makeup, did you?" he asked. I shrugged.

"It's not hard to make myself look like I rolled in mud. If you want, I can give you the same look," I offered.

"Okay, go ahead," he accepted. I went ahead and used the dark material to create black and brown smudges on his face, trying to not get nervous as he watched my arms and face. Noticing that his heterochromia could possibly be recognized by Nadakhan, I picked up a pair of blue contacts and placed them in his eyes with care. My arms were starting to fall asleep from stretching myself to reach his face. Perks of being the small one, huh? Lloyd blinked after I placed the contacts in his eyes, giving a look of confusion.

"It's so Nadakhan won't recognize your eyes," I told him, making sure they were put on right.

"Sorry, I was just practicing my mute pirate lines. They don't want me to speak during this mission because of how bad I am with pirate dialect," Lloyd told me, looking a little ashamed. I frowned.

"Then they should make me a mute pirate too. I'm sure my accent is going to make me sound nothing like a pirate," I said. Lloyd shook his head.

"You sound fine," he assured me. I shook my head this time.

"Who's ever heard of a pirate who has problems pronouncing v's?" I asked. Lloyd rubbed his chin.

"I'm certain you'll fit. You ARRRRR going to be fine," he smiled reassuringly. I giggled at his pun, hearing our friends calling for us.

"Okay, Pirate Pete, I think it's time we go," I told him, walking over to our friends. Lloyd nodded and followed, still smiling. I couldn't help but melt a little every time he smiled. Despite low energy, something about him just energized me. I guess liking someone does strange things to people.

 _The Floating Islands_

We now sat on a replica similar Nadakhan's airships, my mind questioning how they build a working motor for this thing so quickly. Perhaps they took a flying car engine from Cyrus? I have no idea. I shouldn't even be focusing on this.

"Alright, we're getting close," Lloyd observed, "Cole, you have the venom...I mean _Black Blood._.."

"And aren't you supposed to be silent, _Mutt the Mute_?" Cole asked. Apparently we're under pirate names now and have the venom. God, my hunger really is distracting me. Before I know it I may not even know what's happening. Let's hope I don't pass out.

"Don't waste an ounce of that stuff. We may have only one shot here," Nya told Cole as she steered the ship, her fake turban and mustache surprisingly not sticking out like a sore thumb. Those costumers really did do a good job. Suddenly, I heard Nya sigh worriedly, "I don't like this. I don't like this at all!"

"What's wrong? I've never seen you so afraid," Cole asked, turning to look at her.

"I just hope Jay's alright. He's been in this place longer than he needed to be, and I'm worried they may have done something to him," Nya admitted, her eyebrows knotted in worry. I could relate. Aside from making their captives walk the plank, I know that pirates in movies weren't usually too friendly with those they captured. I had to secretly hope that Jay wasn't dead yet.

"He'll be okay," Cole reassured her, placing a hand on her shoulder, "He's a strong little guy, he'll make it. We've already lost too many. We're not going to lose him."

The way Cole phrased his last sentence scared me. It sounded like he was referring to our friends as if they were dead, which didn't give me a good feeling. I really hope they aren't dead. I don't think I'd be able to handle it.

"Alright, it's showtime! I'll bring her in close!" Nya told us as our small airship floated up to a much larger one. This must be Nadakhan's ship. I can almost sense the negativity that leaks from inside it.

"Karma! I mean, _Lagoona_! Come with me!" Cole said as he crawled up our air balloon sail. I nodded and followed, leaping up the balloon and onto the ship with my phantom friend. Right when we reached the first floor though, we were confronted with a noisy cyborg monkey. Upon spotting the animal, Cole disappeared and I rolled behind a barrel, hoping it didn't see us. Once I believed the monkey to be heading in the opposite direction, I placed a hand on the floor and let the intricate lines flow into the floor and after the monkey. Once I heard the animal being trapped in a barrier of these lines, I rose from where I hid and waited for Cole to reappear.

"I'm going above deck, are you going to stay down here?" I heard Cole whisper without reappearing.

"Yeah, go on ahead," I whispered, beginning my search for a weapon I could borrow. I looked at the barrier I had made for a moment though, the way it wrapped looking like a huge ball of rubber bands. I smiled.

"That's what you get for being a dingus, chimp," I whispered at the barrier ball before leaving it. Though, it wasn't long before I could hear the animal trying to break free from the barrier. Sighing, I began to walk back towards it. "Persistent, aren't you?"

Though, before I could reach it, I felt a large hand tighten around my throat and felt my feet leave the ground. Fear paralyzed me as I was unable to move. The only thing I could do was stare into the cat-like yellow eyes of the woman who found me.

"Nice outfit, but it doesn't work on me, dear," she spoke, glaring. I was now afraid to move, only being able to gasp and want to scream. Though, if I screamed, I would give my friends away. The worst part of this all is that I don't think I even have enough energy to be able to use my powers.

The woman snickered. "Speechless, aren't you? I see. Well, I'm sorry speechless girl, but I'm afraid this is where we part ways."

Before I could do anything, I was thrown through a wooden part of the wall of the ship and fell into the sky. I screamed, reaching out to see if I could catch myself or if someone could catch me before I met my incoming death. Unfortunately, it didn't seem so. There was no _Superman_ who could fly by and save me, nor was there plot armor to save me from my fate. Even doing Airjitzu didn't get me far, I only transformed into my gi and lost both of my ribbons. My hair waved freely in the wind now, making me feel as if I were skydiving, but I knew it wasn't so. I wish my friends knew...

"You know, you can be safe on board a ship again if you just _wish for it_ ," I heard a familiar voice speak from behind me. I flipped myself over immediately to spot Nadakhan falling with me, a non-panicked look on his face. I froze again. No, not him. This is NOT how I'm going to go out! I have to trust him for this only wish though. This wish being the only thing that will allow me to escape him.

"I wish I was on land!" I shouted. The Djinn nodded, the scenery changing from a cloudy sky to a beach with the sun beating down on me. Not what I had in mind but this will work. "Thanks, now bye!"

I ran as fast as I could towards the jungle behind us, trying not to trip over my own feet. Though, I didn't get far because he appeared in front of me. It reminded me how much I hated those who could teleport.

"Leaving so soon? But you haven't made your last two wishes," Nadakhan told me. I shook my head furiously.

"No! You're untrustworthy! I know how you tried to abduct Jay and I'm NOT falling for it!" I shouted. A frown appeared on the Djinn's face.

"But I'm sure you'd want to see your dear mother and sister again. Perhaps you want to see the joyous times again?" he asked. I froze, trying to not give in to temptation. Yes, I really want to see mother and Luo again, but is it worth giving my soul away? Is it worth facing an unknown fate? I do really want to find out if it really is my mother speaking to me. I want to know if Luo really is giving me nightmares for a reason. I want my father to be happy again. I don't care about how much of a jerk he was in the past, he doesn't deserve it!

Ignoring my mind's pleas to stop and not trust Nadakhan, I shouted out, hoping he wouldn't loophole it. "I wish to see my sister and my mother again!"

I saw the Djinn smile. " _Your wish is yours to keep_."

A white flash blinded me, but when it faded I found myself in an endless, empty white room. I could see nothing but white, and it almost reminded me of the time I died. White nothingness. Perhaps I'm on the plane of existence where Luo sits? What will she tell me this time?

It wasn't long before I spotted my sister before me, her back facing me. I couldn't help but run towards her as my heartbeat's speed increased. A year. It's been a year. At last, I could see her again! Though, when I reached her and tackle-hugged her, she didn't react. She didn't even move.

"Luo?" I tried to get her attention before walking in front of her. Her dull and lifeless brown eyes were fixated on me, but she was expressionless. What did Nadakhan do!? "Luo? Hello? Can you hear me?"

"Sei...ko...?" she finally responded, her voice uncertain. I nodded, my smile returning.

"Yes, it's me," I reassured her. I watched her hand hover over my arm, then my shoulder. I began to think she was going to hug me or tell me some sort of advice, but I was wrong. Though, I was blinded by the thought of her hugging me until her hand tightened around my throat. I was paralyzed by surprise as she pressed her thumb into my throat, making me gag as her other hand wrapped around my neck.

"L-Luo! What the he-ell!" I choked, coming to my senses. I used one of my hands to try and push her face away, but I could feel my airway closing at a sloth's pace. I could only gag.

"You left me to die..." I watched a bloodstain appear on her shirt, the memory of her death like an old would freshly torn open. "You only cared for yourself!" No! No I didn't! I wanted her to live! I would have rather me died than her! I don't care if I would have never gotten this far in life! I would have sacrificed myself! What doesn't the world understand!?

"N-No," I gagged, both of my hands gripping her wrists now.

"Don't deny it," a voice spoke from behind me, making me freeze. Another wound violently torn open. My mother. "You made me die for you a year ago."

If old wounds torn open could make people physically bleed, I would have died of blood loss by now. My stomach was sick and I was trying not to cry. No! I didn't want you to die! It was all Alex's fault! He's the one who possessed the blades that delivered the killing blow! I only wanted to save both you and myself! Why is it always my fault!? Why do I blame myself too!?

"N-No," I choked again, trying to pull Luo's hands from my throat. My mother stood next to my sister now, her eyes full of anger.

"I didn't raise a lying daughter, Seiko. You know you did it. Your selfishness blinded you from the real world. Now you are beginning to pay the price," my mother spoke, my mind just now realizing her voice sounded nothing like the voice in my head. It didn't matter now though. " _That Garmadon boy should have just left you dead."_

Everything was hurting mentally now. I didn't even know how I was still breathing. What my mother had just said...was it true? Perhaps the world would have been better if Lloyd hadn't have brought me back from the dead? I don't think anything would have changed. I'm but an elemental master on a team anyways. Nothing significant in this large world of ours. My heart was starting to hurt.

Luo released me then, allowing me to crumple onto the floor and gasp for air. "Perhaps you want to see how many souls you've poisoned since your existence?" my mother said as a crowd suddenly surrounded me. Civilians, a red-haired man that looked vaguely familiar, familiar faces that I could not name, villagers, strangers. How...how have I poisoned all of them?

"You and your little group of friends ruined all these peoples' lives. Destroying their homes, killing them in battle, involving them in all your violent affairs, are you still proud of yourself? _Does it feel good knowing you've destroyed their will to live?"_ she went on, as if mentally stabbing me already wasn't enough. I couldn't breathe now, as tears were beginning to make me choke. Have I really done all this? Is this why the voice says not to trust my friends? Is this what I have become? Some sort of destructive human being that further proves elemental masters are unstable? Am I proof that darkness will never be the light?

With everything weighing down on me like an elephant standing on my chest, I began to sob, not knowing how to apologize or find a solution. I've always know I've ruined everything, but never like this. I always thought my anxiety was just lying, but now that I see the truth before my eyes, I know it wasn't. I really am a burden. It really makes me question why my friends kept me around, why I have such great friendships with Lilly and Cass, why Lloyd loves me, and why my father even bothers to care for me. Does no one know a burden when they see one? Can the human eye not spot a life-ruiner?

I could feel my tears running down the sides of my face and into my dirty hair as I stared up at all those I had deceived and ruined. I wanted to apologize, but I found it hard to speak. I could only speak gibberish as my thoughts plagued me with repeats of what was said. I wanted to escape now. I don't want them to see my lying eyes.

"I..." I began as the replays of my mother's words replaced every thought in my mind. She's been holding this in ever since I was born, hasn't she?

 _"I WISH IT WOULD ALL GO AWAY!"_ I screamed as I broke into another sob. The scenery around me then shattered like glass, and the floor became pitch black. I could feel myself falling again, but I didn't care at this moment. With someone so vile as me, I'd accept death if it were coming for me. So, as I fell into this abyss, I closed my eyes and welcomed it with open arms. It was only a matter of seconds before I lost all feeling in my body and my consciousness after all.

Nadakhan watched as the girl's lifeform floated into the gem of the sword, giving it a magenta glow before becoming green again. A satisfied smirk came to his face as he held the ribbon that once was held in her hair, a vile thought coming to his head. _They'll love this. Perhaps Delara will see my strength._

He floated up to the top deck of the ship where the girl's disguised teammates and "Delara" waited with their hands chained. Once he was close enough, he held up the pink ribbon, it's slightly torn fabric dancing in the wind. He watched upset and maybe even horrified expressions form on her teammates' faces. One boy in particular with seemingly blue eyes looked extremely upset, his eyes wide in shock, maybe perhaps even in anger. The Djinn smirked, letting go of the ribbon and letting it fly away in the wind. _This ought to be fuel. Perhaps it won't just be one ninja gone tonight._

 **19-8-5 8-1-19 3-18-1-3-11-5-4. 8-5 11-14-15-23-19.**


	20. Chapter 20

_Ten minutes before "The Wish"_

Cole held the keyring he stole from a crew member tightly in his invisible hands, worry over Jay's whereabouts growing. The ghastly ninja could only assume he was hidden somewhere he didn't know about, possibly beaten to death or being tortured. The master of earth shivered, the scenarios that appeared in his head seeming more and more real. _Well...the only way I can find out is if I spike Nadafugly's coffee or whatever and get him to talk._

Cole patted the vial in his jacket pocket as he unlocked the door to the captain's quarters with the keys. Stuffing the keyring into his jacket pocket and making sure no one saw him, he entered the room, invisible at first. After seeing that Nadakhan was nowhere in sight, he reappeared. He immediately walked over to the Djinn's desk, where three crystal-clear bottles sat, filled with a mysterious purple liquid. Instantly pulling the vial out of his pocket and setting it on the desk, he attempted to open the third bottle, putting in all his strength. Giving a frustrated sigh as the bottle's plug did not budge, he stomped a foot, gritting his teeth. That is, until he heard a familiar voice.

"Cole?...Is that you?" Jay's weak voice croaked from behind the ghostly ninja, nearly startling him. Cole whipped around immediately, the sight of his best friend nearly giving him a heart attack. He stared at Jay's face, noticing assorted scratches and puncture wounds, plus a new blue eyepatch that covered his right eye, half of the fabric overrun by a brown stain. Blood was caked under his nose and on his knuckles, crusted blood peeking out from beneath his eyepatch. His left eye was surrounded by purple, more purple lightly hiding on his nose. He looked like a complete and utter wreck to Cole, who stared in horror at the damage inflicted to his best friend's face.

"Jay!" the ghostly ninja finally gasped, running to his side in an instant. The blue ninja was laying on the floor, the slash wound on his back visible to his friend now. "Thank god you're alive! What happened to you!? What happened to your eye!?"

Jay groaned as he tried to lift his head up to face Cole. "Wh...why are you dressed like a pirate?"

"That's not important right now. Now please answer me!" the master of earth started to look more worried, noticing a fresh bruise on Jay's neck. The master of lightning sighed.

"I got the shit beaten out of me by a few of Nadakhan's friends. It was a fight game where there were no rules except win. I wasn't allowed to rest until I won," he told his friend. Cole frowned.

"You finally won though, right?" he asked. Jay shook his head.

"No, everyone got to pick on me," he said, before laughing nervously, "I'm pretty sure my balls have been stomped to pieces and my eye is mush now."

Cole noticed that one of his front teeth was chipped as he spoke, another indication of damage. Sighing, he freed his best friend from the weight clasped around his ankle and helped him up, Jay accidentally falling through Cole first and knocking over what looked to be a million dollar vase. Cole could almost hear a certain theme song blasting in his head.

"Sorry...forgot to solidify the rest of myself," he told Jay, helping him up again. The master of lighting nodded, hanging on his best friend's shoulder. "Now let's get you outta here."

"C-Cole," Jay spoke, frowning, "I...I'm so sorry for keeping stuff from you. I...I should have to-"

"And I should have been a better friend. Look, we both screwed up, but we shouldn't let that hold us back from kicking Nadakhan's ugly butt! Now let's go!" Cole interrupted him, giving a determined smile.

"W...wait, Cole. Behind you!" Jay pointed at the door to the office, which was beginning to open. Cole immediately shoved Jay into a nearby closet and threw his weight ball behind what seemed to be the Djinn's bed. After making sure nothing looked suspicious, he made himself invisible in front of the closet. The ghostly ninja watched as the Djinn entered the room, his eyes instantly locked on the four crystalline bottles that sat on his desk. Cole's heartbeat pounded against his ribcage as he noticed the vial of poison still on the desk. He crossed his fingers in hopes that Nadakhan wouldn't pick it up.

 _I forgot to pour the venom..._ The master of earth recalled, exhaling a sigh. He then clamped his mouth shut, remembering Nadakhan was in the room. The blood in his veins stopped cold when the Djinn looked his way, the being's mysterious yellow eyes like daggers to the ninja clad in black. He felt relief when Nadakhan looked back to his bottles, knowing that if he were still human he would have been sweating like a man on the sun.

"We're out of Fiddlehead Cider!" the Djinn shouted out his door suddenly, holding a bottle with golden glass, "You better make sure someone plunders a new case for me!"

"Aye aye, captain," a southern-accented voice replied from the doorway, "You may also need a cloak. It's been getting very windy and chilly this fine evening."

 _That's probably Cass and Hunter threatening to unleash their wrath on you,_ Cole thought, glaring at the Djinn.

"Good idea," Nadakhan agreed with the voice, floating towards the closet. The blood in Cole's veins stopped dead again, his heartbeat thudding in his ears as the Djinn grew closer. Thinking of the fastest thing he could do to save Jay's life and his own, he darted out of the room and towards the steering wheel, tilting it while still invisible. The ship then leaned to one side, buying him time as he sprinted back into the room and hid in front of Jay. He wanted to breathe a sigh of relief. Though, his quick plan didn't come without a consequence.

Due to the tilt of the ship, the weight originally attached to Jay's ankle rolled out from behind the Djinn's bed, catching both Cole and Nadakhan's eyes. The Djinn was the one who reacted first.

"Our prisoner has escaped! Search the ship!" he commanded, shouting out of his quarters as he speedily floated out the door. Cole moved immediately, allowing Jay to take one wobbly step out of the closet before holding onto his best friend.

"Come on, we gotta get you outta here before they come back," the master of earth, helping Jay limp away from the closet. Leaving the vial in the captain's quarters, Cole held onto his best friend and helped him out the door, hoping their appearance would go unnoticed. Though, it was a little hard since Jay's face was known to the whole crew. Cole followed his objective anyway: meet back up with Karma and regroup with the others. Though, when he and Jay got to the lower deck where Karma was supposed to be waiting, the master of darkness was nowhere to be found.

Cole cursed. "Don't tell me she ran off on her own!" he grumbled as he looked around for any sign of the cyborg monkey. His eyes scanned the area until they fell upon and obvious hole in the supports, signifying someone or something was thrown through. Both of them stared at it until Cole shook his head. "She probably got impatient and already regrouped with Nya and Lloyd. That's more than likely something Karma would do."

A smile came to Jay's face at the mention of his friends' names, but it was short-lived due to Cole recalling the location of the venom. "Oh, crap! I left the vial in Nadakhan's quarters!"

"You WHAT!?" Jay exclaimed, grabbing his best friend's shoulders. "But we can't go back!"

"And we can't go on without it either!" Cole argued, turning back towards the ladder that led them down here. He sighed. "Here, I'll tell you where the others are and you can-"

"How will I summon my dragon!? Most of my energy is used up since I've been beaten to death and scrubbing the deck every waking moment!" Jay interrupted him, pointing at his damaged and sunburnt face. Cole looked past him then, noticing a zeppelin balloon. A small feeling of hope appeared then.

"No worries then, because there they are! Follow me!" he darted to the edge of the bottom level, grabbing Jay's hand. The both of them jumped off, activating their Airjitzu and floating through the air. Though, when they landed in the zeppelin Cole believed to belong to their friends, they notices they were surrounded by Nadakhan's crew, snickers and chuckles flooding their ears.

"Wrong ship..." Jay mumbled, observing their situation. Cole nodded, becoming nervous as to what their fate was now. Looking to the right, they noticed Lloyd and Nya on the deck of the ship they had just jumped off of, their wrists bound and no sign of Karma. The sense of hope Cole had felt earlier was now gone, replaced by fear and anxiety.

It wasn't long before their wrists were bound and they were placed next to their friends, a look of defeat on Lloyd's face as their plan did not turn out the way it was supposed to be. Both Cole and Jay froze as Nadakhan approached, twirling his sword with one hand like he was special. A black-haired crew member with an eyepatch like Jay's stepped forward.

"Sir, I thought there were five that boarded the ship," she reminded him, raising an eyebrow. Nadakhan smiled.

"Yes. There _was_ ," he said before holding up a slightly torn pink ribbon, "I just wanted to see if our dear guests could figure out that one was missing."

Everyone except Cole froze, the ghostly ninja's eyes locked on how wide Lloyd's eyes were. Of course, they've been losing teammates for a while now, but now with the fact that Nadakhan managed to abduct someone who knew the Djinn's scheme, they knew he wasn't playing around anymore.

 _That Evening, at Julien's Watchtower_

Alex awoke with a start, his memories cutting out like a TV with a weak signal for a few seconds. The fact that he keeps passing out at the sight of his own blood was beginning to annoy him, though it was benefitting him energy-wise. He yawned, brushing off his clean shirt and the new bandage that covered his wound.

"How many times have I passed out today?" he asked out loud, already knowing that the android was already in the room.

"Approximately five times," the robot notified him, to which Alex did a sarcastic "whoop".

"Great, a new record. They better give me a place in the Guinness book," he commented, stretching a moment before freezing up. The fact that his boss's voice wasn't there was his first surprise, the second being that Karma's connection was no longer within his mind either. A moment of panic engulfed the state of his thoughts, fearing what his boss would have to say this time.

"I'm so dead!" he exclaimed out loud, catching the android's attention. Alex ran over to the window immediately with a thought that his mind was like a cell phone with low signal. Believing he could perhaps reconnect if he were outside, he perched himself on the window and climbed up onto the roof, much to the robot inside's confusion. Though, no result came when he reached the center of the roof, only static. The master of psion sighed, disappointed in both himself and his powers for failing.

 _ **Calm down. You're not getting a connection from neither I nor her because she's now trapped in that sword that Djinn has and I'm in Astor City. I believe I can take things from here.**_

Alex was nearly startled by the sound of his boss's voice breaking through the static in his head. After breathing a relieved sigh, he replied, _Oh okay, good. For a second I thought you were going to open my wound again. Though, what do you mean you'll "take things from here"?_

 _ **I have your powers. I thought you would have realized that by now, considering I've been able to speak to you through your thoughts.**_

Alex's eyes widened. _I'm slow. But...does...that mean you're my dad or something!?_

 _ **No, you ignorant child. Your father "mysteriously disappeared", remember? Do you even recall the time that man Sebastian introduced you to the owner of Ninjago's most renown noodle house, Chen?**_

Alex could just barely remember. He was only nineteen when his first boss, Sebastian, allowed him to accompany him to a meeting. He remembered seeing a gaudy dark-skinned man who's face was covered with red and purple paint smears. He remembered seeing the man holding a seemingly new reptilian staff, a gold seal with a serpentine symbol held in the staff's mouth. He could clearly recall being used as a guinea pig for the staff's ability. The way his limbs hurt when his power was pulled from his body could be felt just as he recalled it. Though he got most of his power back, he already knew the reason why he got tired easily because parts of his power were still missing. Sebastian got one part and died, Alex could only assume Chen had the other piece.

 _Yes, I remember,_ he finally replied.

 _ **That's where I got this half from. Chen lent it to me before he died. It's too bad I'll never get to give it back to him.**_

The voice almost sounded regretful, as if Chen were a dear friend. Alex ignored it. _Great, good to know someone that's alive still has one piece. Do you mind giving it back to me when you're done with it? I'm tired of having to sleep and eat a lot._

The voice paused. _ **I'll think about it.**_

Alex wanted to snap back and demand that his power be given to him, but the connection was lost, the sound of gentle waves around the tower filling his ears now. He cursed, stomping his foot and causing a dent in the weak tin roof. He then cursed again before tripping over the the dent and tumbling down roof and over the side. The pantleg of his jeans then caught on the side of the roof, hanging him upside down as he crossed his arms and glared at the sea.

"Mr. Roboto! Get me down from here!" he screamed over a radio inside. Though, the radio sang louder, it's message about a boy named Jeremy speaking in class distracting the android inside. Alex groaned, realizing that he's going to be hanging there for a while.

 _The Floating Islands, Unknown Time_

Cole struggled to free himself from the deepstone cuffs that chained his wrists together. Despite knowing ghosts cannot pass through the substance, he tried anyway, pulling as hard as he could to break the chain. He gave a sigh of exhaustion after realizing that his attempts would only be futile. He looked up at his remaining friends, who only frowned. With Karma gone and Nya forced to stay with Nadakhan, it was only him, Lloyd, and Jay now.

"You're lucky, you're probably able to use your powers while we're stuck with these crummy vengestone cuffs," Jay broke the silence, pulling on his cuffs as well. Cole shook his head.

"No, the vengestone on you guys' wrists is suppressing my powers too. It's strong," he informed his friends, staring down at the dark gray cuffs.

"Well, it doesn't help that you left the venom in Nadakhan's office too!" Jay added, his impatience rivaling Kai's.

"You do know Nya may be in there. Maybe she can get it back," Lloyd suggested, a glimmer of hope in his bright red eyes. It was the first time Cole had ever seen both of his irises red before.

"Yeah, but what if she's not in there?" Jay asked, attempting to cross his arms. Lloyd shrugged, his sad eyes still displaying their hope.

"We can only wish, and keep ourselves away from Nadakhan," he said, "I'm afraid I can't come up with any other plan that wouldn't kill us or end in us being captured."

"Well, I'm already dead inside, so..." Jay replied.

"And I'm dead on the outside I guess," Cole added.

"Well, okay. Here's this idea: No wishes at all. If you haven't noticed, any wish could be fatal at this point, considering someone who was aware of the third wish was taken," Lloyd's eyebrows knitted in worry when Karma was mentioned, but he tried to keep a confident face. Jay nodded.

"That's what I was thinking, but how will we get out of here ourselves?" he asked, staring up at the bars above. Cole smirked, staring up at a passing serpentine crew member.

"I say we give Nya a little time. If nothing happens, I have a little plan of my own."

Nya sat at a dinner table in Nadakhan's office where several exotic foods were laid out for her consuming. She didn't dare touch anything, fearing it may be poison. Not even the glass of water that accompanied her plate and silverware. _Can't trust a Djinn no matter what._

"Please, indulge yourself," Nadakhan encouraged her, appearing suddenly. Nya crossed her arms, turning up her nose at the delicacies.

"I'd rather not," she told him almost immediately, giving a look of disgust.

"Try craving the finer things in life like this, my dear. It's better than being stuck with filthy pirates," Nadakhan went on, taking a sip of rum from a wine glass like he was a classy gentleman. Nya wanted to laugh.

"Listen, I know what you're trying to get at and I'm not having it. I've already told you I'm a lesbian. A **LESBIAN**. I'm attracted to **WOMEN**! Not ugly-ass men like you, nor any man," the master of water exclaimed, glaring at the Djinn. Nadakhan raised an eyebrow.

"Stop calling yourself a 'less bean' my dear. There's no way you can love women. Women can only love men. It's why we are created the way we are," he spoke. Nya nearly flipped the table.

"You wanna test that theory, Nadabitch!? I'll tell you one thing, there's many women on this great earth who aren't attracted to men and vice versa! It's the same feeling heterosexual people feel for the opposite sex! We have the same love! We live the same! The only difference is that your partner is the same gender! Is that wrong? No! Wanna know why!? Because love is love, no matter how you view it!" Nya shouted, slamming her hands on the table, "I'll tell you one thing, I'm not your Delara and I'm not your dead wife! I'm Nya freaking Liu! Daughter of Jingyi and Shang Liu! The current master of water and no man's girl! I will not be forced to marry some disgusting, spoiled, crybaby who thinks he can get whatever he wants! No! I will choose freewill! I will marry the woman who has captivated my heart for the last year! I will marry the woman whose love is worth more than your rotten delicacies and piles of stolen diamonds & gold! I will marry Ashley McLaurent whether you like it or not!"

Nadakhan was silent for a moment, the rum that was in his mouth now dripping from his shocked mouth. He then snickered, swallowing his beverage. "It's alright, Delara. You'll learn to love me and forget her in time. You will love all that I have in store for you," the Djinn smiled, pouring rum into another cup. Rage ignited in Nya's eyes as he pushed the cup towards her.

"You know, my whole life I've been defined only by men. I was the daughter of Shang Liu. Sister of the master of fire. The ex-girlfriend of the master of lightning. The student of Sensei Wu. Do you know, at all, how tiring it is to only be seen as the 'girl ninja'? How exhausting it is to only be seen as an object? As a prize to be won?" Nya questioned him, picking up the cup with a shaking hand, before splashing the beverage onto Nadakhan, "Of course not, because you're one of the blockheads who's doing it! You act like I'm going to just mindlessly and willingly accept your crappy setup for me to be your dead wife, but guess what buster? You're wrong! It's about time I started standing up for myself and stop going with the flow! It's time this river changes directions! It's time to show the world that I'm an unstoppable force, a roaring ocean that shows no mercy!"

Placing one foot on the table, Nya picked up a golden fork and lunged at Nadakhan, aiming for his eye. She was stopped before she could reach him though, being pulled back by a large hand as she kicked and flailed wildly. "Let me go!" she screamed as Nadakhan laughed, floating out of his seat.

"Such a feisty woman, you really do remind me of Delara," he cooed, placing a hand on her cheek. Nya turned immediately, biting down hard on his hand and biting through his glove. The Djinn yelped as he recoiled, blood beginning to seep through his thin gloves as he massaged his hand. "Too feisty."

"Go f-" the sound of a seagull squeaking covered her profanity, "yourself!"

"Why don't I make you a deal Delara? Since you've rejected all my other offers," Nadakhan offered, floating around her.

"Whatever it is it probably isn't a good one, knowing your manipulative ass," Nya snapped, glaring at him. Nadakhan was unaffected.

"How about if you marry me, I'll let your friends go," he offered, still circling Nya as Dogshank restrained her.

"How about you let my friends go and I'll think about it?" the master of water replied, still staring daggers at the Djinn. Nadakhan chuckled.

"A good offer, but I'd need a valid answer, Delara. I'm not just going to let them go because you're thinking about it," he answered.

"Well here, try this. If you stop calling me 'Delara' and you _promise_ to let them go safely, I'll consider it. That's it. I'm not going any other way," Nya spoke in a gentler voice, a hatred for the man before her still burning inside like an uncontrollable flame. Nadakhan rubbed his chin for a moment, then accepted.

"Fine, if it's the only offer you'll accept... _Nya._ I look forward to our wedding," he said, before floating to the door, "Boys! Get the deck ready!"

Once she was sure he was gone, Nya used her elemental powers to slip out of Dogshank's hands, freeing herself. The large woman didn't even bother catching her again.

"Why do you even work with him? He's a disgusting pig!" Nya asked her, to which Dogshank scratched her helmet as if it were her head.

"Well...he granted my wish to let me gain this form. I'm finally able to outshine those who left me in the dirt before. Me leaving this crew would be a sign of disrespect towards him," she told the master of water, "I don't want to look like an ungrateful brat."

"He treats you like a servant though! You don't think I've seen it!? How you're constantly supposed to save him and torture those who oppose him!? I almost bet he forces you to wear that helmet 24/7," Nya argued. Dogshank looked away, ashamed.

"You...aren't wrong," she told her. Nya gave a look of sympathy, allowing a water jet she created to push her up to Dogshank's eye level. Taking off the woman's helmet, Nya revealed her blue, reptilian skin and her caramel-colored hair. Her reptilian eyes stared at Nya as her caramel braids tumbled over her shoulder. Fangs peeked out from under her top lip, their white color surprising the master of water for a moment.

"Your name's Dogshank, right?" Nya asked. The woman nodded. "Dogshank, you're one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen."

A blush came to the woman's face, her reptilian eyes wide before she rushed to put her helmet back on. "I-I...I ne-ed to take you out to the deck. C-come with me...madam," Dogshank stuttered. Nya could almost see her blush through the scarf of her helmet, but smiled.

"Alright."

It wasn't until she saw the scene for herself that Nya realized what Nadakhan was about to do. Ahead of her, stood her remaining three friends and a plank, indicating a clear message that the Djinn had indeed twisted her words. Rage boiled inside Nya, her rage rivaling that of her brother's.

"You piece of shit!" she screamed once she spotted Nadakhan, charging a jet of water as she bolted towards him. She was restrained by Dogshank though as the Djinn turned to look at her.

"Isn't this what you wanted?" he asked. Nya would kill him now if she could.

"No! This isn't what I said at all! I said to free them safely, not to disobey my orders and do whatever you desire!" she shouted, "You know what!? This is why your wife chose to die! She was tired of your abusive, manipulative ass and had no other way to escape! She died because of you Mr. Wiseguy! Maybe if your head wasn't stuck so far up your ass you would have realized this and changed your ways!"

"ENOUGH!" Nadakhan shouted back, anger making his voice shake. "I will not tolerate this kind of language towards me, Delara. You will treat me with respect!"

"But you don't treat me or my friends with respect so how do you expect me to return the favor, Nadadingus? I'm not brainless. And I'm not your poor dead wife. I'm me, and I can think for myself and do I want thank you very much!" Nya replied, "Now let them go before I turn your buttugly face to shreds!"

Nadakhan huffed, then turned to the reptilian crew member who was holding onto Lloyd's arm. "Clancee! Make him walk the plank! Now!"

Clancee nodded as he pushed Lloyd into the plank, Nya trying to jump out of Dogshank's hands.

"Don't you dare!" she screamed as Lloyd was pushed to the edge, the boy facing Nya so she could see his ruby red eyes again. Though, the green ninja didn't look scared at all. He mouthed something to Nya, to which she couldn't understand. Then, he winked before taking a small jump and disappearing from sight. The master of water's eyes widened.

"NO!" she screamed, reaching out for him, but it wasn't long before the plank shot up, launching the boy into the air. He came flying down, one knee pulled back as he approached Nadakhan.

"This is for Karma!" he shouted, striking the Djinn with his foot. He then jumped behind Nadakhan and managed to get the chain of his cuffs around his throat. "And this is for everyone else you've tortured and trapped!"

Nadakhan disappeared immediately, freeing himself just as all chaos broke loose. Cole and Jay pushed their guards off the ship and ran to assist Lloyd, while Dogshank released Nya, acting as if the master of water had outsmarted her. The four came together, Nya breaking Cole's cuffs off first before allowing him to free the others. Though, the crew surrounded them, their weapons drawn and pointed at the remaining four. They all charged up their powers, all four backing up to face all sides. A confident smirk came to Nya's face as she stared at the crew members, all the rage from earlier now filtering into her powers.

"Let's show them what we've got, boys!"


	21. Chapter 21

Using their powers combined, the remaining four used their powers to push back the pirate forces. Knowing that the Djinn was nearby, they had to be aware of his deceiving ways and how easily the word 'wish' could slip from their mouths. Though, they knew if Nadakhan made any offers they would be difficult to refuse.

"Psst. Nya. Maybe we could try using our powers to strengthen ourselves?" Jay suggested, but Nya shook her head.

"No. If he bends my words, he will bend yours too. It's better to not risk it," she declined, pushing away the staff-wielding creature Jay had fought before.

"But why not?" Nadakhan's honeyed voice chimed in, "I'm sure I could make you a force stronger than Dogshank."

Nya shook her head furiously, using a wave to push a hoarde of pirates away. _Don't give in. Don't give in. I can make it through this! Don't give up!_

"Cole, do you ever yearn to have the ability to feel again? Perhaps even to feel a warm shower or cool rain again? Maybe even to taste the succulent cakes you used to eat," Nya heard the Djinn whisper to the master of earth. The master of water could tell just by Cole's expression that he was trying his hardest not to give in. _Come on, Cole. He's going to deceive you._

"Jay, I'm sure you want to get rid of those distasteful cuts on your face, or perhaps you want your eye back? I'm sure it's difficult getting used to having one eye," the Djinn moved on to the master of lighting, who did not budge. His electric green eyes were locked on his targets instead, ignoring the Djinn before him.

"Oh, Lloyd. I'm sure you wish to see several people again. The unfortunate luck that befalls those who are within and associate with your family has most certainly taken a few lives. Perhaps you want to see the man you looked up to again, your father?" Nya wanted to punch Nadakhan as he spoke to Lloyd, the boy beginning to shake as he tried to focus. Though, the look on his face told her that he may give in.

"My...father?" he whispered, pushing away the eyepatched member from earlier. Nadakhan nodded.

"Yes. You've wanted to see him again ever since you last spoke to him in the belly of that disgusting Preeminent. I can bring him back and allow you to speak with him," the Djinn's friendly voice made anger boil inside Nya, the fact that he was using one of Lloyd's weaknesses disgusting her. Though, she couldn't step in. If she turned her back from the fight even for one second, she'd get mauled by pirates in an instant! "What is your choice? Miss your chance to speak? Or see him again?" She began to sweat, anxious on what to do. Though, before she could do anything, a shout broke through the yells of pirates.

"I've got an answer for you! How about you get lost!" Lloyd exclaimed, just barely pushing the Djinn away. He then reached up and grabbed Nadakhan by the facial hair, pulling him down to meet his gaze. "I'm sick and tired of people using my father's spirit against me! Everywhere I go, something about my father comes up, no matter what I do! 'What would your father think!?' 'Don't you want to see him again!?' 'Can't you be a hero like he was!?' 'Can't you be more like your father!?' 'Wouldn't you like to speak to him!?' I'm tired of all this bullshit! Why won't you assholes just let me move on!?"

Tears started leaking from his eyes. Possibly tears that had built up ever since the talk with his father. "Why won't you all just leave me alone!?"

Seeing an opening and knowing she had to separate Nadakhan from Lloyd, Nya turned and quickly forced the Djinn away with a strong jet of water. She then placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you alright?" she asked, pushing another pirate away. She saw Lloyd nod out of the corner of her eye.

"I just...I'm getting impatient with everything," he kicked one pirate away, exhaustion evident in his face as she removed her hand from his shoulder. Though, immediately after, a bullet struck the boy in the arm, making him yelp and lose focus.

"LLOYD!" the other three shouted in unison, Nya immediately rushing to his side and pushing away the pirates that came towards him. Lloyd acted as though he weren't hurt though, gently pushing Nya away.

"I'm alright. I've fought with a broken leg before," he flashed a reassuring smile, before another bullet struck him in the side, making him fall on Nya. Cole, spotting the gunman immediately, decided to speak.

"I wish the gunman was a lousy shot!" she shouted, pointing at Flintlocke as he aimed for Nya. Flintlocke took another shot, his bullet hitting a plank that was three inches from him.

"Cole! We aren't supposed to use wishes!" Nya shouted as Lloyd leaned on her shouted, his hand covering his wound.

"Hey! He was going to shoot you! I was making sure no one else fell!" the master of earth argued, pushing pirates back with boulders. Exhaustion was evident in his face as well. Nya sighed.

"Thanks then, but no more wishes!"

"The smoothness of a hardwood floor freshly waxed, the sweet taste of chocolate frosting, the softness of a certain girl's hair. Don't you want to feel it all again?" she heard Nadakhan whisper to the ghostly ninja. Nya's eyes widened as she looked over at Cole, his expression conflicted. _He's going to..._

"Cole, DON'T!"

 _"I wish I was human again!"_ his shout broke through the crowd, making the other three freeze. An orange aura then surrounded the master of earth as Nya prepared for the worst, her grip on Lloyd tightening as he looked on. The aura then dimmed, Cole's dark brown skin now replacing the translucent green skin he had before. The master of earth smiled, making his hands touch before he ran a finger along the sleeve of his gi, utter joy in his eyes. Though, it only lasted a moment before he winced, his smile fading as he gasped and dropped to his knees. Nya watched in horror as Cole held onto his arms, screaming as he curled into the fetal position on the floor. Nadakhan smirked as if it were an enjoyable show.

"What did you do to him!?" Jay shouted, electrocuting two pirates nearby as he glared at Nadakhan furiously. The Djinn snickered.

"Humans give in to temptation, so of course he'd wish, even as a ghost. Though, becoming human again is a very painful process, as your body must catch up with everything you have consumed and your organs must start functioning again. I must say, this does remind me of the downfall of the first man I met ever since being released. Though, he wasn't as reluctant as this rat," he explained, looking down at the master of earth, whose eyes were watering as he shook and groaned.

"He's not a rat!" Nya shouted, her rage still boiling like water on a stove. Nadakhan's smile still remained as his yellow eyes met hers.

"All humans like your friends are rats, Delara," he spoke, "Though, you're an exception."

"Stop calling me 'Delara'!" Nya shouted, throwing a nearby rock at him. He caught it though, an unimpressed expression on his face.

"You've changed..." he said in a distant voice, "...too much."

Nya narrowed her eyes, pulling Cole to his feet and letting him lean on her other shoulder. Jay stood next to her, looking slightly tired. Though, they both noticed blood was beginning to soak the cloth around Lloyd's wounds. _We've got to end this quickly..._ Nya thought, looking around for an opening to leave with them.

"I wish the bullets in my body were removed!" Lloyd suddenly shouted, startling the master of water.

"Lloyd! I said no wishes!" she reminded him as an orange aura surrounded the boy's torso for two seconds. The green ninja smiled.

"Shh, I have a plan," he whispered, before looking at Nadakhan again, "And now I wish I stopped bleeding!"

The aura returned, surrounding his torso again for a few seconds before disappearing. He then removed his hand from his side and looked at his wounds, blood no longer dripping from his injuries. Nya watched as Lloyd then grabbed a nearby pirate's arm, holding his arm for a few seconds before the man collapsed on the floor, snores replacing his shouts. _Of course_ , Nya thought, _I forgot he was able to take energy from others._

"Lloyd! I suggest you don't make anymore wishes! One more wish and both you and Cole are through!" Jay reminded him, to which Lloyd nodded.

"Right. Let's just hope Cole holds on," the green ninja replied, looking at the master of earth, whose face was starting to grow pale from the pain.

"How about this," Nya spoke up, a plan finally forming in her head, "I wish we could get out of here!"

Not even a second after she wished, the ship tilted downwards, making everyone lose their balance and fall to the edge. The remaining four grabbed on to planks that jutted out from the ship, deflecting falling pirates and objects. Nya held onto Cole as tightly as she could while hanging onto the plank, his weight beginning to make her arm tire.

"Hold...on," the master of water gritted her teeth as she pulled both herself and Cole back onto the ship, her arm aching in response.

"Nya...I can't take it anymore," the master of earth groaned, wincing. Nya gave him a worried look.

"No! Don't give in!" she told him, trying to pull both of them up once more. Cole shook his head.

"At this rate...we're going to fall. I have to," he winced again, pain evident in his voice.

"Cole! Don't you da-!" Nya began to shout, but Cole shouted over her voice.

 _"I wish for it all to go away!"_

Before Nya's eyes, an orange aura surrounded her friend, turning him into a single, glowing dot. His weight was suddenly gone, and the dot gained an orange glow, shining like a star. She watched as it flew onto the ship and into Nadakhan's sword, the crystal blade of the sword becoming orange for a brief moment before reverting back to green. The Djinn smiled, victory in his look.

"COLE!" she heard Jay shout, anger in his voice. Then, suddenly, Lloyd pulled himself onto the deck, charging an energy ball as he darted towards Nadakhan. Nya's eyes widened.

"Lloyd! Don't!" she shouted. Though, it was too late. Lloyd threw the energy ball at the Djinn, in which he dodged. The green ninja dodged a few of Nadakhan's sword swings before stumbling on a loose plank, the Djinn seeing an opening. Adrenaline burst into Nya's veins immediately, allowing her to pull herself onto the deck.

"Lloyd! Watch out!" she shouted, before the sword hit the boy's back, a greenish aura surrounding him until his green dot was in the sword. Nya's eyes were wide, not being sure if she had just witnessed Lloyd's death or if she just watched him get kidnapped. The Djinn then turned to her and Jay, his sword drawn like he was ready to fight.

"Come on, it's obvious they'll lose if you stay with them, Nya. Stay with me. _Stay with me and perhaps I'll spare that girl you admire so,"_ Nadakhan spoke, his words striking fear into the master of water. _Spare!? Is he...planning to kill her!? He...he better not!_

"Just leave me alone!" Nya shouted, pushing him away with a large wave of water. The Djinn smirked, floating nearer despite the wave.

"Then you want to see her dead? The girl you so dearly want to marry in the future? The girl who has captivated your heart?" he said, Nya now covering her ears.

"No, no, no! I don't want to!" she shouted.

"Then stay with me. I've already told you what will happen if you don't," Nadakhan tried to persuade her, but then suddenly Nya felt a hand around her ankle. The hand then pulled her off the deck and separated her from the ship, making her fall and watch a Jay and Nadakhan got smaller. She cursed, snapping out of the Djinn's lie and summoning her dragon, feeling a soft landing on the beast's back.

Nya breathed a sigh of relief, resting her head on the dragon's neck. Though, her period of peace didn't last for long, as something thumped on her dragon's back behind her. She sat up and turned around, spotting Jay.

"Sorry I dropped in so suddenly. I got kicked off the ship," he told her, adjusting his eyepatch. She smiled, relief washing through her.

"At least you're still here...Now where should I head?" she asked. Jay rubbed his chin for a moment.

"Do you remember where Dr. Julien used to live? Where the leviathan and starteeth nearly killed us?" he asked. Nya nodded.

"To the Watchtower then?" she asked.

"Yeah," Jay nodded, "Let's hope nothing happened to it...or no castaway is living in it."

 _Julien's Watchtower, Afternoon_

Alex stared down at the bowl of green broth before him, chunks of tofu floating like icebergs within a sea of light green. He didn't know whether to get sick or dig into the soup.

"What is this?" he poked at the bowl, looking up the android who sat across from him. The machine blinked.

"It is _miso_ soup. My father told me it is a common dish in the City. Are you perhaps from the country?" it asked. Alex shook his head.

"No, I'm just used to chicken noodle soup and all that. And _shchi_. Can't ever forget _shchi._ " he told the android. He then picked up his spoon, picking up a piece of tofu and tasting it. A salty taste caught him by surprise, the android attempting a chuckle at his expression.

"It is very salty. I should have warned you about that beforehand," he said, "Though, it is only salty because the soup tastes salty."

"Weird, like a chameleon then," Alex observed, poking at the other piece of tofu in his soup. The android nodded, then gave a look as if he just remembered something urgent.

"Oh no, I have forgotten to refill my fuel tank. I should go fill it before I power down," the android said, getting up and jogging to the stairs, "I shall return!"

Alex nodded, scooping up the last piece of tofu and eating it. He stared off into space as he did so though, his thoughts focused on why that Djinn was capturing people in his sword anyway _. Is it for personal gain? Does it allow him to use their powers like Chen's staff? Maybe it takes their souls, or kills them. Either way, I want it. I know I can become much more powerful with it in my possession. Maybe then I can finally gain control of the world. People always choose supposedly strong leaders, correct?_

He pushed his bowl of soup away, resting his chin on his knees. _It's either money or strength that factors which leader people choose, so how about I get both? Four for one deal, money, strength, powers, and the youngest leader the world has ever had. Surely that would draw people to become my followers. Though, why would they follow a scrawny kid like me? I don't honestly know how to manage money anyway._

He listened to approaching footsteps sounding from the stairs, believing it to be the android. He pulled the bowl back in front of him, taking a sip of the light green broth. With the same saltiness as the tofu, the broth made him wince, sticking his tongue out from the saltiness.

"God, how much salt did you out in thi-!?" he began to shout as he turned to look at the android, his words halting as he discovered it wasn't the machine he was looking at anymore. Instead, he looked at two unmasked ninja, one in black and blue with red hair and freckles interrupted by an eyepatch and various scratches on his face. The other wore black and crimson, her jet black hair chopped short and her body chubby. Alex almost dropped his bowl in silent realization of who they were. Though, both him and the blue-clad ninja stared at each other for several seconds.

"You!" Jay pointed, beginning to walk up to him. Alex dropped his bowl and scrambled to his feet immediately, tripping over assorted objects as he ran to the window to grab his blades. Jay reached him first though, grabbing him by the collar of the shirt and slamming him into the stone wall.

"Explain how you found this place before I sheakazing your ass!" the master of lightning shouted, allowing lightning to run up his free arm and into his hand.

"That sounds perverted," Alex told him, straight faced. Jay glared at him, unamused.

"Shut up and quit dodging the question!" he snapped. Alex put both his hands up.

"Geez, which one, pal? Do you want me to shut up or answer your question?" he asked, trying not to sound panicked. Jay slammed him into the wall again.

"Just answer my question before I tase you!" the blue ninja shouted.

"Alright alright! Keep your panties on, Shocky!" Alex replied, before pointing at the exposed bandages on his shoulder, "I got shot by some redneck with a sweet mustache and ended up landing in this place. I tell you what though, the robots here make some great tofu."

Jay's eye widened for a moment before his grip on Alex's shirt collar tightened. "You were with Nathan, weren't you!? Where is he!? What did you do to him!?"

"Wow, you catch on fast," the master of psion gave a surprised look. Jay brought his electrified hand closer to his neck.

"Answer my question!" he shouted.

"Chill. I just broke him out of prison, okay? I hung with him though because, I dunno, he seemed really upset about not finding this Sammie gal. Besides, he kept talking about this Djinn and I wanted to see it for myself...and I sure did," Alex answered, watching Jay's electrified hand. The master of lightning paused for a moment, then released him, sighing.

"Okay. I believe you," Jay said as Alex rubbed his head, "but if you try anything funny, I won't hesitate to kill you where you stand."

The master of psion nodded. "Right. I'll keep that in mind, Blue. I'll make sure to tell my robo-buddy too."

Both of the ninja raised an eyebrow. " 'Robo-buddy'?" Nya asked. Alex nodded.

"Yeah. You guys didn't pass by a rusty android while walking up here? He kinda looks like your titanium robot," he asked. The ninja looked at each other, blinking and raising their eyebrows.

"Well," Alex sighed, smiling, "Looks like it's time for a little meet n' greet. Boy do I love bringing people together."

Nya and Jay looked at each other again, then looked back at Alex. "I suppose looking wouldn't hurt," Nya shrugged, before following Alex down the stairs. Jay hesitated a moment, then followed him as well, still not knowing whether to trust him or not. _Either way, this better be quick._


	22. Chapter 22

Being careful to not slip and fall down the stairs, Alex tried to lead the ninja to the android, not even knowing where it refueled in the first place.

"So, uh, what happened to the rest of your team? I already know that Nathan kid and the pink one are in that freaky Djinn's sword," he asked, hoping a conversation would distract them from his obvious unknowing of where the android is.

"Well, they got taken up by- Wait, how do you know they were taken!?" Jay asked, raising an eyebrow. Alex nearly froze, then tried to think up a fast way to explain it.

"I witnessed Nathan being sent into the sword and...uh...I could just tell because she didn't try to murder me yet? Usually every time we're within 15 feet of each other I meet either the end of a staff, foot, fist, or whatever's the nearest weapon she can grab," he scratched his head, his explanation being true. _If my boss hadn't told me what happened, I would have assumed this anyway._

"She does it for a reason, ya know, and I think you deserve it," Jay replied. Alex sighed.

"Thanks! I'm so loved! I'm so loveable everyone wants to stab me!" he laughed nervously, almost tripping over a step. "One guy has succeeded so far! Let's see who else successfully turns me into a goddamn kebab!"

"You're overly optimistic over something like that," Nya commented. He laughed nervously again.

"Well, when everyone out there is trying to kill you, you get used to it," the master of psion's smile faded, "I'm surprised you all haven't thrown me to the sharks yet."

"Your powers are useful and you probably have something about Nadakhan we don't know," Nya told him. Alex gave a nervous smile, a bit appalled by her truthfulness.

"Of course, just like everyone else," he sighed, seeing that they were close enough to the bottom floor for him to jump from the stairs onto the floor below. A jolt of pain washing through his ankle for a split second as he landed on the stone floor, he wobbled, almost losing his balance. Nya and Jay decided to take the safer route, descending the stairs instead as the master of psion waited impatiently below.

"Why didn't you guys take the easy way?" he questioned as they finished walking down the stairs.

"Because we don't want to break our ankles. I believe Jay has faced enough injuries for the year," Nya answered, glancing at the scratches on her friend's face and the blood stain on his eyepatch. Alex sighed and moved on, walking to the only other door in the room besides the door to the outside. He opened the door and stuck his head inside first, spotting the android's rusty foot immediately. He motioned for the ninja to walk in, then pointed at the machine.

"Here. This is...actually I don't know it's name. It was just here...and makes pretty okay soup," he told them, despite being close enough for the android to hear. The machine rose from it's kneel, turning itself so it's glassy eyes met the three humans in the room. Jay and Nya's eyes widened immediately.

"It's Zane!" they both exclaimed, both the android and Alex giving a look of surprise.

"You know my name?" the android asked.

"More importantly, there's more than one of that robot on your team!? Jesus Christ they're multiplying!" Alex exclaimed, looking at blueprints pinned to the wall. Nya shrugged.

"I guess so. Julien must have been _really_ lonely," she assumed, scanning Echo Zane's features. Alex sighed, heading to the door.

"Since I feel like you all are about to have a reunion or something, I'll be outside," he informed them, going out the door and hearing it shut. He sat down on the floor next to the door and buried his face in his knees, sighing again. _Great, this is either going to end in me being abandoned or possibly handed over the police. So much for aiming for the throne. You can't win the world's heart while in prison._ He looked up at the dank walls, a fake smile appearing on his face. _Nothing I'm not used to._

He fiddled with a tear he found in the leg of his jeans, possibly from his fall on the roof from earlier. He could almost hear his mother scolding him. _If you play with it the hole will only get bigger, Alexian!_

"I do what I want," he mumbled, picking up a random pebble on the floor and effortlessly tossing it at the opposing wall. He watched it land a few feet away from him, the dull brown pebble making small clacking sounds as it bounced on the stone floor. The sounds of conversation drowned out the skidding sounds of the pebble then, the thoughts of being abandoned filling his mind again like water flooding a room. _Hah, who needs company!?_ he thought against his mind, _Why depend on others when you can be a one-man party! I don't need people! I have these pebbles!...actually I do need people. I feel like I'm going to lose what sanity I have left if I stay by myself any longer._

He threw another pebble, this time hitting what looked to be a picture frame covered in a dusty wool blanket. Though, when he moved his feet, he discovered that it was a mirror, the exposed part of it showing a smaller version of himself sitting against the wall. He would have pointed double finger guns at his reflection but he didn't feel in the mood to do so. Instead, he looked away from it, rubbing his injured shoulder and growing impatient with how long it was taking his visitors. _I think they've already forgotten I'm out here anyway. Benefits of being the guy everyone hates...woo!_

He looked back at the mirror, this time his reflection was gone. He raised an eyebrow for a moment, then shook his head. I must have moved. Though, as he looked closer at the glimpse of the mirror, he swore he could see one clear, yellow eye. He shook his head then, looking away. _I'm hallucinating again. I must have bent my brainwaves too far earlier. Something I need to tone down on before I end up accidentally killing myself. Great...I'm going to have a horrible headache later._

He couldn't help but glance at it again, spotting what looked like the eye peeking out from the mirror. Alex rose to his feet then, curiosity driving him as he approached the covered mirror. Everything lost it's sound as he set a hand on the old blanket, the wool of it smelling like mothballs. He then pulled it off instantly, dust clouding his vision for a moment as he coughed. Once the dust cleared, he looked down at the mirror, expecting to see his reflection, but instead the image before him made his heart stop.

Within the mirror sat an orange face with high cheekbones. The face owned pierced, elvish ears, the same threatening yellow eyes as before, a large, pointy nose, raven hair pulled up into a high ponytail and teeth with evidence of scurvy. Though, the laugh the face made awakened recent memories within the master of psion, his shoulder suddenly begin to hurt as he realized who was in the mirror. His eyes became wide, and adrenaline then began to rush into his veins. He screamed, using his powers to throw the mirror across the room and shatter it into a million pieces. He then backed away from the pieces, panting as if it were exhausting work.

 _Chill out Alex, it's just one of your hallucinations...right? Surely everything's okay. You're just going crazy. Yeah...going crazy._ Though, another covered picture frame at the other side of the room called to him, his curiosity pushing him towards it. Reluctance was still evident within his thoughts though. _What if I'm about to see some kind of nightmarish entity? Why haven't they come out here yet? Someone better stop me before I lose sleep for a week straight._ His hand touched the soft fabric that covered the frame, a smell of rubber coming from the cloth. Alex grabbed it, holding his breath as he slowly pulled it off the frame. He hoped to see just his reflection, but instead Nadakhan's face was there again, causing him to scream again. He used his powers again to smash the other mirror, the pieces scattering in front of him as he slowly sat down the floor. Though, he couldn't escape the Djinn as millions of his face appeared in the pieces, his deep laugh echoing through the room. The master of psion covered his ears immediately, knowing it was an unsuccessful action. Though, he heard the door to Echo's room burst open.

"What the heck is going on out here!?" he heard Jay yell, before he heard the crunching of glass.

"And why the hell is Nadafugly in them!? What did you do!?" Nya shouted, making Alex's eyes widen. _I'm...not hallucinating!?_ He uncovered his ears, getting up and being careful not to cut himself on any of the shards.

"You're seeing this too!?" he asked, making sure he wasn't losing himself.

"Obviously!" Nya shouted, using her powers to wash the shards out the front door. Alex gave a sigh of relief, happy that he wasn't losing his mind.

"Who was that?" Echo asked, blinking and picking up the last shard. Nadakhan's face was now gone, empty space replacing him. Jay sighed.

"Someone very bad, Echo. I'm going to have to ask you to retrieve the tea we need early. I have a feeling there's going to be a party tonight," he told the android. Alex nearly froze.

"Wait a minute. You're telling me he's coming _here!?_ " he asked, staring at Jay in disbelief. The master of lightning nodded.

"That's what I just said."

Alex darted up the stairs immediately then, skipping steps and nearly tripping as he ran. He burst through the door to the upstairs, nearly tripping over the tea robot as he ran to the table and grabbed his jacket. Hurriedly tying it around his waist, he jogged to the window and grabbed his blades and strapped them to his arms. Alex then stuck his head out the window, noticing faint dots in the distance almost immediately. He shrunk back into the tower, leaning against the wall. _I should just ditch them now, since I already know they're going to ditch me. It's too obvious. Maybe perhaps I can go to a bar or something and get rum. Maybe I'll just hide in Astor City and maybe accidentally run into my boss. Or I can just go to Stiix and fit in with the losers there._

He turned to face Jay, Nya, and Echo as they reached the top of the stairs, a blue teapot in Nya's hand. "Is that a special tea or something?" he asked, to which Jay nodded.

"Traveler's Tea. It will allow Nya to escape when the pirates arrive," he told Alex, "Since Nadakhan is so set on marrying her and getting infinite wishes."

"You do know I can teleport to an exact location with people and we all can escape. That tea only takes you to a random place!" the master of psion reminded him, to which Jay glared.

"I don't trust you, and I should inform you my original plan was to disguise you as Nya and hand you over to Nadakhan. You're not Asian though so I don't think that would have gone well," the master of lightning told him, to which Alex raised his eyebrows.

"Uh yeah, I'm glad you decided against that. There's no way I'm getting close to that snickering circus peanut, and there's no way I'm going to try to be another race," he replied, "But if Nathan could trust me why can't you guys!?"

"We're not Nathan," Nya told him, setting the tea on the table next to his bowl of soup. Alex didn't want to touch it now. He crossed his arms and frowned, careful not to cut his arms with his blades.

"So you'd rather die at the hands of Nada-whoever-he-is instead of allowing me to get you out of here?" he asked, before turning away and pouting, "Fine. I see how it is. You'd rather take suicide than life."

"I just can't trust you! You've killed people close to my friends! How am I supposed to know that you won't kill us while you have the chance!?" Jay argued. Alex winced at the memories.

"Jay, if I were going to kill you I would have done it already. May I remind you I'm a very impatient and...reckless man," the master of psion told him, "Hell, I even got shot for trying to save Nathan's life on that disgusting pirate ship! Though, of course when I try to fix my morals everyone pushes me away and tries to kill me! My patience with humanity is starting to wear thin and I'm really wondering if anyone wants me to learn from my mistakes or not!"

"It's because you've lied so much we don't know whether to believe you or not! Besides, even if your morals change the things you did in the past will still be a fragment of your character!" Jay argued, his hair slowly starting to stand on end from buildup. Alex already knew that last part was going to stick with him forever, but he didn't know why he couldn't be forgiven now. _This isn't some kind of "boy cries wolf" story, is it!? Someone can't even trust me for even a second even if I promise to stay true to my word!? I get I did a whole ton of bad stuff in the past and that I'm probably getting the karma for it now, but what can't I change!? If everyone can trust a corrupt millionaire who says he's "changed", why can't anyone trust me?_

"I get that, and I know did plenty of bad things, but why does it stop you from trusting me for even a second!? I'm sure Nathan trusted me for a time before he was captured," Alex asked, to which Jay walked up to him. The master of psion immediately noticed that they both were the same height.

"Let me remind you that I'm not Nathan and I still have problems with that kid to this day despite apologizing," the master of lightning growled before sticking a finger in his chest, "We don't trust you for the fact that you've killed people, cloned my teammates, attempted and almost successfully killed a few of my teammates, lied to us several times, and you always happen to be a deceiving little shit wherever you go. So, no. I'm not going to trust you, and quite frankly I don't want to talk to you anymore either."

"Fine," Alex said, backing away as sounds of motors began to get louder, "I see how it is."

The sounds of motors got louder as the roof rumbled, Echo hugging himself as dust fell from the ceiling. "I do not like this. This makes me think of the leviathan that used to visit my father and I."

"Well, it's not a leviathan...that's for sure," Nya observed, hugging the teapot closer to her chest. With dusk hiding the sunlight, Alex stuck his head out the window again, his eyes widening when he spotted airships approaching the watchtower. He walked away from the window then, glaring at Jay for a moment before darting down the stairs. The master of psion thought he heard Jay shout, but he ignored it, activating his blades as he skipped several steps. He then ran into Echo's gas room, waiting for the sound of the front door being busted down. With the fact that the sky pirates were just now arriving, he knew it wasn't going to be long before chaos would erupt. He sighed, considering teleporting to the nearest town and escaping it all, but he refused. _If I want to become the leader everyone deserves, I need to fight back! I need to fight...and possibly die, but fight!_ Suddenly, he heard the sound of wood hitting the hard floor, various shouts announcing that Nadakhan and his crew were here. It was fight or flight now.

Making sure one last time that his blades were functioning correctly and shivering at the feeling of the cool metal against his skin, he took a deep breath, trying to push all reluctance out of his thoughts. Seeing that his mind wasn't going to cooperate, he resorted to his powers, bending his brainwaves until the reluctance was no longer there. He knew he was going to have consequences for that later, but he didn't care. He was choosing fight instead of flight.

Despite the sounds of scuffling outside, Alex burst through the door, sinking his left blades into the first pirate he saw. He used his right blades to then block another pirate's dagger and used his foot to push the pirate impaled by his blades off. He used his powers to grasp whatever sharp objects were in the room and toss them at the pirates, backing away to watch the carnage unfold as kitchen knives and wrenches hurled themselves at the few pirates that remained downstairs. He managed to impale several of them whilst some still stood, their daggers drawn. Alex simply waved his hands toward himself with a smile, the universal "fight me" signal.

Two pirates rushed towards him immediately, their swords aimed for his chest. He then used his hand signal combinations to teleport above them, a wider smile cracking on his face as they looked around. He sunk his blades into the neck of one of the pirates then, the weapon in turn sinking itself in his flesh. The master of psion cursed, yanking the blades out of the man's neck immediately and looking at the blood that was starting to seep through his cut. Dizziness began to set in immediately, and he instantly regretted looking at his injury. Not wanting to get ambushed while he was dizzy, he used his powers to push everything around him into the wall, knowing he must gauge how much of his powers he uses too.

Once his dizziness subsided, he looked around, noticing the impact from the walls had knocked the pirates out. He could hear motors again, but then a blast came from above him, making him cover his ears as he bolted out the door. Alex heard something crash behind him as he slammed the door shut behind him. Ignoring it, he faced forward only to see pirates littering the beach and Nadakhan floating on the stairs that lead to the beach below. A smile grew on the Djinn's face as Alex's blood froze in his veins.

"Well, well. Looks like a dear friend of ours managed to survive. Impressive," the Djinn observed, the sword glowing in his hand. Reluctance grew inside Alex's mind again. "Though, I do have a new challenge for you, boy."

The master of psion took a defensive stance as Nadakhan spun the sword in his hand then pointed it at Alex. "How about a duel? The goal is simple. Don't lose," he grinned, his yellow eyes making Alex shiver. The master of psion retained his stance though, manipulating his own brainwaves yet again. A determined smile appeared on his face as the reluctance washed away.

"Bring it," he said, before rushing towards Nadakhan, blades extended. His claw blades and Nadakhan's sword clashed, the sound of metal scraping against crystal almost drowning out the shouting from around the tower. They exchanged swings, both of them dodging and deflecting each other's weapons. Nadakhan seemed to be getting frustrated as Alex blocked his every swing, pride beginning to become evident in the master of psion's dark blue eyes. The Djinn thought fast, resorting to his only option.

"Dogshank!" he shouted, backing away from Alex. The master of psion looked around, confused for a moment, wondering what he meant until a 7 foot high, muscular woman stood in front of him. The pride in his eyes melted away immediately. He turned and tried to run, but the woman caught him, his arm held in her hand for a moment before it was crushed against his blades. He let out a yelp as the metal cut into his skin, the mechanism that held them squeaking in protest. Though, an idea sprouted in his head almost immediately as he looked at her gloves. Using his powers, he quickly bent the blades out of his skin and into her hand, a grin coming to his face when she howled in pain.

"Double-edged sword!" he shouted before she let go of him, his bent blades exiting her skin. He curved them back into their natural shape then, trying not to look at his bleeding arm. He then stood up, wiping blood off his face with his thumb and licking it. "What's next, Genie!? Perhaps the actual Hulk!?"

Before he could hear a reply though, a large fist connected with his torso, knocking him into the door to the watchtower. Dogshank stood before him now, fuming as her hand bled. Alex snickered, standing back up and brushing himself off. "Well? Come on! Is that all you've got!?" he shouted, daring her to swing again, "A midget has hit me harder than you have!"

Dogshank rushed him again, slamming him into a wall this time. Alex gasped, then proceeded to snicker, despite his back hurting now. Though, his snickering faded when he noticed that fatigue was starting to settle in. He frowned then, his mind protesting against it. _No! I can't be tired now! I'm fighting!_ He sunk his blades into Dogshank's hand so she's release him, allowing him to try and run back inside, but her hand caught his ankle. He was then thrown down the steps leading up to the door, hitting his head, back, and arms various times. The mechanism from one of his blades broke as the other sunk itself into his other arm as he rolled to a stop on the bottom step, every inch of him hurting.

Alex struggled to get up, battling both fatigue and pain as he tried to sit up. The sight of his own blood coming from both his arms now made him dizzy again, making it hard for him to tell where Nadakhan was, and where the pieces of the mechanism were.

"What a shame, I was expecting you to be much more of a spectacle. I would have even allowed you wishes of world domination, perhaps your dream woman, or endless money, but seeing the disappointment you've given me, why bother?" he heard the Djinn say, his head beginning to hurt, "The only thing I can do is relieve you of your fatigue."

He heard crystal scraping against stone. "Trust me, you'll get plenty of sleep where you're going."

Alex hurriedly tried to stop him with his remaining blade, but it was too late. The jagged edge of the crystalline sword hit his shoulder, and he went numb. The master of psion closed his eyes through, not wanting to see whatever horrific scenery would appear before him. Though, he could see none as he lost consciousness, all sound disappearing.

Nadakhan smiled with satisfaction as the gem in his sword became a light pink before reverting back to it's green color, a sense of victory in his smile. He now looked up at the burning watchtower, his heartbeat accelerating as he gripped the sword handle tighter.

 _I'm coming for you, my dear Delara._


	23. Chapter 23

_Julien's Watchtower, Evening_

Avoiding a barrel bomb that had been thrown into where they were hiding, Nya and Jay hung onto the roof of the watchtower, weapons strapped to their backs. The teapot bounced against Nya's waist, her legs dangling in the air as she tried to not look down. The both of them then flung themselves back into the watchtower, avoiding the sight of another batch of sky pirates.

"Where the hell is Echo and Alex!?" Nya exclaimed, darkness making it hard for her to spot holes in the floor.

"Who freaking cares about Alex? And Echo is probably hiding somewhere. Who knows," Jay told her, his mask nearly making his voice muffled. The sound of pirates shouting then startled him, causing him to stick his head out the window and paralyze them with an electric shock. The smell of burning wood filled Nya's nostrils as she stood there though, her mind tricking her into thinking her brother was nearby for a moment. Her mind only reminded her of how much she missed him.

"Something tells me they're trying to burn this down," she observed, looking down the stairs to spot a burning fire. She extinguished it with her powers though, treading carefully down the damaged stairs. Jay followed her, his katana unsheathed as he looked around for pirates. Suddenly, a giant figure broke through the wall, Dogshank and the staff-wielding creature filling the hole instantly.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me!" Jay shouted upon their arrival, Nya unsheathing her two katanas instantly. The creature held it's staff in defense as Dogshank's reptilian eyes locked on Nya. "Just freaking make Nadakhan show up already!"

"Go, Doubloon," Dogshank told the humanoid creature, allowing it to run up to Jay and jab it's staff in his stomach. Nya pushed it away with water immediately, watching the creature fall off the steps and onto the damaged stone floor below. Making sure Doubloon was gone, Nya then pushed Dogshank through the hole from which she came, motioning for Jay to move along. They dashed downstairs in an instant, running past pirates who were fast approaching. Running into Echo's room, Jay locked the door and barricaded it with what he could find. Though, just then they heard rummaging within the room.

"I-I am sorry. My...my systems have been d-d-disrupted," the android announced his presence with another hit on a piece of metal, his slightly rusted head twitching. Nya frowned, walking over to the robot and cupping his face in her hands. His glassy eyes looked up at her, wires in his midsection dangling out and red lights flashing inside him. The master of water sighed.

"I'm so sorry Echo. I'm sorry we brought this fight to you," Nya wiped some oil off his face as she spoke. The android shrugged.

"This experience has taught me how to be like my legendary brother. Maybe perhaps I can help that orange haired girl take over the world," Echo tried to smile as Nya snorted.

"Yeah...about that..." she started, but then they began to hear banging on the door. The master of water cursed as she turned away from Echo, facing Jay.

"What do we do? They know we're in here, and that tea can only transport two people. What will we do about Echo?" the master of lightning asked, glancing at his barricade for a brief moment. Nya sighed, coming up with only one option to save all of them. An option that made bile rise in her throat. Though, it was the only way to save her best friend and their newfound friend.

She grabbed Jay in a flash and smashed the teapot on the floor before grabbing Echo. The master of lightning looked up at her like she's crazy.

"Nya! What are you doing!? Three people can't go through!" he shouted. She shook her head though, watching a purple portal appear on the floor.

"It won't be two people Jay."

Jay's eyes widened as he realized what Nya was about to do, the freckled young man bunching up the sleeve of her gi in his hands. "No...no, Nya! You can't do this! Nadakhan will get infinite wishes and he'll eliminate us all! You can't give yourself up like this!" he shouted, genuine worry on his face, "Let Echo stay!"

"Jay," Nya spoke over the growing shouts outside the door, "Sometimes you have to sacrifice your freedom to save those you love, and I'd rather sacrifice my freedom than let him chase us and potentially kill you. I've already lost my brother and friends, I don't need to lose you too. Despite your extremely clingy nature, you're fun to have around and the one that always cheered me up on my saddest days. You were the one that made the color blue one of my favorite colors after all."

Jay's eye began to water as he stared at her, his hands beginning to tremble. "No, please...Let me go back. I'd rather lose my freedom than let that disgusting creature force you to love him. I want to see you happy, Nya. I can't stand to ever see you frown."

A small smile came to the master of water's face for a moment, the purple light almost hiding it. "Neither can I, Jay. I've grown to love your crooked smile, and the kindness you've shown me all these years. Though you may still pursue me to be your one and only again despite my interests, you won't ever stop being my best friend," she looked over at him, her eyes shining as if she were about to cry, "You're the only one who can help me with mechanical problems and teach me about them, you're the only one whose puns make me laugh, you are the only one who could feel like a second brother to me."

She sighed, looking back at the portal. "There's going to be a wedding, Jay. A wedding filled with crimson and brown. A wedding where venom will leak from the walls and only despair can be found in the vows. I want you to do something. I want you to stop it all instead of indulging in hopelessness. Take him on by yourself, organize a team, do what you may. Just find a way to stop the despair that is coming my way, as I cannot stop it alone."

"Nya..." Jay's voice trailed off as he tried to find a way to reason with her, but it was too late. The portal was already closing.

"May our paths cross again, Jay," she smiled before pushing both him and Echo into the portal. She swore she could hear the master of lightning shout her name as they fell through, but the cries of pirates soon drowned him out as she pulled on her mask. She rested a hand on the handle of her katana as the door to Echo's room burst open, pirates spilling in like a Black Friday at a mall. They suddenly came to a stop as an orange figure entered the room, his dirty teeth exposed in a victorious smile as she faced him. Knowing well enough that she was outnumbered, she held her hands up in surrender, pulling off her mask. The flame of rage inside her still burned bright though, the flame shining in her chocolate brown eyes as she glared at Nadakhan.

As she quietly walked to the airship that waited for them, she stepped on a screw which sat near a mangled mechanism, only one thought coming to her mind as she stepped over it.

"You god damn idiot," she whispered, looking ahead at the ship.

 _The Badlands, Evening_

Jay and Echo plummeted to the sandy ground below, the impact knocking the wind out of the master of lightning. Though, he scrambled to his feet almost immediately, looking around frantically for a way to get back to Nya and save her. He soon found though that there was no way back, all evidence of hope leaving him. With his energy half depleted and his motivation nearly gone, he collapsed to the ground, ready to cry. Sand coated his gi, making it impossibly for him to wipe away the tears coming from his remaining eye without getting sand in it.

He heard Echo rise as he laid there, snot dripping from his bruised nose as he cried over his inability to persuade Nya to come with him. All the stress from his friends' anger towards him and the thoughts of being abandoned finally breaking free, his bottled-up emotions spilling out like water.

"Do not cry, my friend. We can rescue her," Echo walked over to him, buzzing sounds coming from his wires. Jay sniffed.

"What do you know? Nadakhan's probably already put the ring on her finger. It's hopeless!" he sobbed, hugging himself. Echo frowned.

"Have you already forgotten what she has told you?" he questioned.

"If you mean the part about how I was her best friend, no," Jay answered, trying to sit up. Echo shook his head.

"No, her words about saving her. 'Take him on by yourself, organize a team, do what you may'. That is what she said, correct?" he reminded Jay, the master of lightning's eyes widening instantly. He sat up immediately, looking up at Echo.

"You're right! How could I have been so stupid!?" he exclaimed, standing up now. "Of course! I could organize a team and we could go find Nya. Echo, you're a genius!"

"Those are not my words though," the android reminded him, smiling. Jay walked over to him and set hands on his shoulders, grinning.

"You can record holographs, right?" the master of lightning asked, to which Echo nodded. "Great! I need you to record something for me and deliver it to a few people."

Formulating his plan as fast as he could, Jay stood back as Echo prepared to record him. The master of lightning waited patiently for his signal, then spoke as confidently as possible.

Allowing Echo to go speak to other candidates for the team, Jay took it upon himself to go persuade people who he knew would not recognize Echo's looks. Walking through an alleyway in Ninjago City, he searched for his first two members, who happened to not be so far away. Approaching one of them as he exited the alleyway, he watched as she threw a rude customer out of her shop, the sight of her cracking her knuckles scaring the man off. Her bright poppy red hair still shined despite it being dark.

"I see you still have issues with idiots," Jay observed, walking up to the master of amber. Her expression was alarmed for a moment before it softened, her malachite-colored eyes showing relief.

"Well, if it isn't Al Capone himself," she placed her hands on her hips, studying Jay's features, "You look pretty rough."

"Yeah, long story, but I need your help," he said immediately, "It concerns saving Nya and my whole team."

Skylor sighed, "What did you clowns do this time?"

"Basically, in short, this creepy Djinn wants to marry Nya to get infinite wishes and enslave us all. I swear we didn't provoke it this time," Jay told her, before pointing at his eyepatch, "The Djinn is the reason why I'm wearing this and the reason why pieces of Ninjago are disappearing."

Skylor rubbed her chin for a moment before sighing. "I really don't want to lose this place, nor do I wanna lose my friends...so count me in. I'll see if Seliel wants to tag along too. She'll more than likely fight too," she accepted, nodding. Jay smiled.

"Great, I'll meet you at the police station tomorrow morning at 10 AM. Don't be late."

His next member's shop wasn't that far from the noodlehouse, though Jay was nervous that he had already traveled home. Though, from the light glowing inside of the shop, his hopes were high that he was willing to go. Slowly opening the door, which jingled as he entered, he braced his persuasion techniques, not knowing how the man would act.

" _Désolé_ , sir. I'm about to clo-" Mr. Janvier started to say as he cleaned his glasses, before his icy eyes fell on Jay, a look of utter surprise washing across his face. "A-Are you Ed and Edna's son?"

"Yes...I'm James. I'm sorry to come in so late, Mr. Janvier, but I need to ask you for help," Jay told him, "...It concerns your daughter."

Pierre froze, the cloth being used to clean his wire-framed glasses stopping in place. He then put on his glasses, the moonlight shining through the lenses. A more serious look was evident on his face now, "What happened? Was it her doing or something else?"

"Something else," Jay told him, before explaining the situation. Pierre listened intently as the master of lightning explained what happened to his daughter and what's going to happen to the City. The man's hands were folded afterwords as he was silent, then he looked up at Jay from his seat, his eyes just as serious as his look.

"I see. So, some celestial being wants to destroy us all over some girl? Okay," Pierre recalled, "I'll join...but I may talk to that boy who hurt my daughter's feelings."

Jay gave a nervous laugh. "I believe he may have already been talked to, sir."

Pierre stood up, picking up a small case and stuffing it inside his jacket. " _Ah, non_. I can handle it. I am not like my wife after all."

Jay nodded, then told him the location of the meeting place, leaving silently afterwords and moving to his next member.

Farther into the City, Jay approached a shop with a creaking wooden sign on it. A cloth covered half of it, but the maroon color of it gave away who lived here. Going up to the door, he knocked once and waited for an answer, hoping the man he was looking for still lived here.

"Hello?" a man with curly, light orange hair and dark skin peeked his head out from behind the door, squinting at Jay, "Who...are you? It's 1 AM."

"Ah...I'm the friend of Lilly and Karma...the blue ninja. I'm sorry if my eyepatch is making me look drastically different," Jay informed Yami, who looked confused for a moment. The man's orangish-pink eyes then widened.

"Oh, you're the jokester one. Xavier spoke about you sometimes," Yami told him, brushing a curl out of his face before opening the door all the way, "Please, come in."

Curious for a moment on what Xavier said about him, Jay entered, meeting a room mostly covered in sheets. "I'm sorry it's a mess. I've been trying to close this shop down as I can't run it by myself," Yami went on, rubbing his eyes. He then turned back to Jay, sitting down on an uncovered leather chair, "So, what brings you here so late at night? Is something wrong?"

"More or so I'm trying to get your help for a rescue mission. I witnessed your ability to organize a team of citizens a year ago and I have seen your fighting ability, so I thought that you may be a great candidate," Jay told him. Yami crossed his legs and leaned forward, waiting for the master of lightning to go on. "This rescue mission concerns the reason why pieces of Ninjago are missing and why I look like utter shit. Though, it won't be easy."

"Go on," the man told him, listening. Jay nodded and explained everything to him, including all that's set to happen to Nya. Yami rubbed his chin, giving a surprised but worried look in response to Nadakhan's goal. He then stood up, looking much more awake than before.

"So, will you help me? If...your aren't letting this happen, that is," Jay asked, his pleading eye looking up at Yami. The man hesitated for a moment, then nodded, picking up a sheathed sword from a covered table.

"My cause is similar to Xavier's, yet I don't believe everything like this happens for a reason. I believe things like this happen because evil exists alongside us and we allow it to take control. Jay, I will help you, though you must return the City back to how it was before as well," Yami answered. Jay nodded, then told him were they were meeting, leaving afterwords to visit the last person in the City he needed to contact before going beyond the city outskirts.

Jay's footsteps echoed within the dim, quiet hallway of an apartment complex. Despite being on the third floor, the sounds of midnight cars and miscellaneous honks from the City still sounded as if he were still outside. He wondered how people could even sleep with this kind of noise. He shrugged, stopping in front of a door that read **35F**. Hoping his memory had recalled the right apartment number, he loudly knocked on the door, hoping he had woken the girl up.

It wasn't long before the door slightly opened and he felt the cool metal of a bat touch his stomach. He could see amber eyes peering from the door and barely visible stands of blonde hair. _Yupp, this is it._

"State your business and why I shouldn't add another bruise on your face for waking me up at this hour," she growled, her tired eyes squinting at him. Jay put up both of his hands to show he was defenseless.

"Ashley, it's me, Jay. I know it's hard to tell because I only have one eye, but it's me," he told her. She paused for a moment.

"What do you call a dictionary on drugs?" she asked him, to which he confidently replied, "High definition."

Ashley removed the bat from his abdomen, unchaining her door, "Yeah, it's you."

Jay nodded, "Listen, I have something urgent that I need your help with. It concerns Nya."

Ashley's eyes widened immediately, then she looked concerned. "What happened?" she asked. Jay went ahead and told her the whole story, expressions of disgust and surprise forming on her face as he explained. Once he finished, the blonde had a hand over her mouth, surprise and anger evident in her eyes. She was silent for a moment, then uncovered her mouth.

"She's being forced...to marry that creature!?" she exclaimed, before hushing herself, "What kind of 1500s nonsense is this!?"

"I have no idea Ash, but we have to stop it before Nadakhan gets infinite wishes! I know it's highly unlikely you'll decline, but I'm still begging you to please help me. I'm really worrying that this is the last time I'll ever see Nya," Jay replied, looking nervous. Ashley paused for a moment, then picked her bat back up, resting it on her shoulder.

"You're right, it's unlikely I'd ever turn that down, and it would be horrible of me to do so. I'm in, and I'm not holding back. I'm knocking the teeth out of that Djinn's mouth the first glimpse of him I get!" she accepted, determination in her look. Jay grinned, hope becoming evident again.

"Great, I'll tell you where to meet."

Running on three large lattes he bought at the nearest coffee shop, Jay approached his last candidate's workplace, a small tea shop near where Garmadon's Monastery was. He only knew the name of the tea shop, but not the girl he was going to ask to join him. He could only draw conclusions from how Hunter described her. Though, the master of lightning's memory was clouded.

Knowing it opened at 5 am, he proceeded into the shop with caution, the light inside nearly blinding him. Inside, a girl with short, blackish-red hair was resting her head on her arm, fast asleep. Her skin was pale and contrasted with with dark mahogany counters and floors within the shop. Jay spotted a small, golden bell next to her hand almost instantly. Lightly tapping it, he stepped back as the small _ding_ sound startled the girl.

Her silver eyes opened wide almost immediately as she fell over the bucket beside her feet. She immediately got up, dusting off her uniform and making herself look as professional as possible. Jay looked at her crooked name tag, which read 'Ruby'. _Yupp, this is the girl._

"How may I help you this fine morning, sir?" she asked him immediately, her voice squeaking for a moment. Jay nodded.

"Yeah, one thing," he answered, "You are familiar with a boy named Hunter, correct?"

A slight blush came to Ruby's face. "I...There's several boys named Hunter in this village. It's a common name."

"Yeah, but I'm sure you know one specific Hunter," Jay said, Ruby's pale cheeks becoming pinker. She absentmindedly clasped her hands, looking at the floor as she blushed.

"Yeah, he left the village not too long ago, but he visits every now and then...wait, how do you know him!?" the girl asked, snapping out of her small daze. Jay brushed his deep tuscan red hair out of his face.

"I'm his friend and teammate, Jay. The punny one, if he refers to me that way," he informed her, flashing a smile. Ruby raised an eyebrow, then gave a look of realization.

"Oh yeah, you're the dark blue one. Yeah...Hunter has always said you were a bit unfunny," she said, rubbing her chin. Jay felt as if he just took a knife to the ego.

"Well, it's great to know my teammates love and respect me," he said sarcastically, considering leaving Hunter in the sword once he got to that point. Ruby nodded.

"Yeah, I know how great being on a team can be. Those days are over now though," she smiled, not catching his sarcasm, "So, what's up? Why are you here and what does it have to do with Hunter?"

Jay went ahead and explained their situation for the fifth time, the whole story now fully memorized in his head. Though, he was honestly tiring from telling it over and over. _At least this is the last person_ , he thought. He watched as a worried look grew on Ruby's face, her black eyebrows knotted in concern.

"That's horrible!" she exclaimed, covering her mouth, "You...you mean he's already captured everyone else? Even Hunter?"

Jay nodded in response. "Now, I need your help to get them all back and save my best friend from a very bad fate. Are you in?"

The girl sighed, then shouted at the top of her lungs, "UNCLE!" In no time, a large, rectangular object flew into her hand. It then transformed, forming a scythe bigger than Ruby herself. Jay nearly fell over, mumbling a "holy shit" under his breath. The girl looked over at Jay, smiling at she petted the weapon, before turning her head towards a brown door. "Uncle, tell my sister I'm going out for a day or two. I promise to be back!"

The master of lightning stared at the large blade of the scythe, a realization coming to mind. _No wonder Hunter's in love with this girl._

"Alright Blue, where are we headed?" she asked as the scythe transformed back into it's dormant form. Jay sighed, getting up.

"Just follow me," he smiled.

 _Ninjago City Police Building, 10:05 AM_

Jay stood front and center before many people, some of which Echo had recruited. He stared at all of them, dumbfounded by how many had actually wanted to help him. He spotted the police commissioner, Ronin, Skylor, Seliel, Pierre, Ashley, Dareth, Captain Soto, Ruby, Yamikani, and the surprise appearance of an old acquaintance from the Tournament of Elements, Neuro. A smile slowly came to the master of lightning's face as he took it all in. Turning his focus on his objective, he folded his hands behind his back, clearing his throat.

"Ladies, gentlemen, and androids, I have gathered you all here today for a very important mission. You all already know the story, but I will go over our objective again," he spoke, "We need to rescue Nya and my friends, stop Nadakhan, and altogether save Ninjago City. It won't be easy, but I believe if we all work together we can save their lives and the citizens of the City's lives."

"Nice pep talk, but get to the basics here. What are we going to be doing?" Ronin spoke up, resting his chin on the back of a rolling chair he found. Jay rubbed his chin for a moment.

"Well, so far, my plan is simple. We hijack a new island as it floats up, then we infiltrate the wedding as best we can," he told them, before pulling the vial of poison from his belt, "I was lucky enough to take this back from Nadakhan before falling from his ship, and I assure you that this goop is the stuff that's going to stop him. All we need to do is spill this crap onto him or shoot him with it, then I'll either wish he's not a Djinn or let Soto kill him."

The old pirate grinned from ear to ear. "I like the sound of that."

"I knew that," Jay smiled, "but the question is, how will ALL of us get in? Considering how many of us there are..."

"Some could stay down here. I think once you get close to the Nadakhan guy all the fighting will start and attacks will start below. The same thing happened in the Serpentine War," Pierre suggested, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"I'd be fine with staying below. I do have mechanical wings to patrol the streets," Seliel reminded Jay, pointing at a mechanism on her back. The master of lightning nodded.

"That could work, but I want us all to come to an agreement. Is everyone fine with this idea?" Jay asked them, to which they all nodded.

"Though, who's staying down here? I don't want to and probably can't, considering what my powers can do," Neuro asked.

"I can always copy your powers. I _am_ the master of amber after all," Skylor reminded him. The master of mind shrugged.

"Yeah, but what if you touch another elemental?" he asked. The master of amber rubbed her chin.

"That would be...difficult," she admitted, crossing her legs and resting an elbow on her knee.

"I volunteer to stay below," Seliel spoke up, raising her hand. The police commissioner and Dareth did the same.

"Several of my men would be happy to defend with us below. We have you covered, Mr. Walker," the commissioner nodded.

"It's uh...Gordon-Walker sir..." Jay spoke up, remembering the revelation of his supposed biological father. Only knowing that his father's last name was Gordon and not Donnegan, he combined it with his own last name.

The commissioner nodded, then squinted out the window, brushing his mustache. Jay noticed that Echo and Yami were doing the same, their eyes locked on whatever's outside. The master of lightning turned around and joined them, immediately spotting two bearded pirates perched on the building across the street, a telescope in one of their hands.

"What's wrong?" he heard Ruby ask as he looked out the window, his eye then meeting the eyes of the pirates.

"Guys," he started as they all looked too, "We're being watched!"

Everyone stood up as the pirates did the same, the pair escaping as everyone darted out of the room and onto the roof. Watching them fly off in their vehicles as they reached the roof, Ruby was the first to take action, jumping off the roof and onto the next, sprinting after them. Jay then summoned his dragon and hopped onto it, allowing Ashley and Pierre to jump onto the back. Seliel picked up Skylor and flew after them with her as the few on Jay's dragon followed. Ronin did the same as Seliel, unveiling his new wings and picking up Dareth. Everyone else just ran and jumped from roof to roof if they could, following Ruby's example.

Both Ronin and Seliel got close enough to the vehicles to drop Dareth and Skylor on them. "Jay!" the master of amber called out as Jay flew by, holding out a hand. Reaching out and slapping his hand against hers, Skylor copied Jay's powers and then turned around, her hair beginning to stand on end from the energy. She then touched the wing as the pirate began to reach out for her, electrocuting the whole vehicle and the pirate inside. Throwing the pirate out, Skylor slipped into the seat and started flying it, picking up Neuro along the way.

On the other vehicle, Dareth jumped back into Ronin's arms, nearly getting stabbed by the pirate on board. Ruby then replaced him, swinging her scythe to try and hit the pirate. She missed him though, as he set his vehicle on autopilot and dodged her attacks. She then reverted her scythe to it's dormant form, getting ready to use only her fists and legs. She swung her arms and legs, trying to hit the pirate, but he narrowly dodged each hit. He then used his metal leg to kick her in the abdomen, making her tumble backward.

"I forgot to ask Sis if she could teach me how to fight," she mumbled, rubbing her stomach before jumping to her feet and trying again, but her face only met the metal outside of the vehicle instead. The pirate held her down then, grabbing his dagger.

"Damn kids ruining my ship," he muttered, as he aimed the blade for the back of her neck. Ruby clamped her eyes shut, not moving, but the sound of metal meeting metal replaced the incoming pain she expected in her neck. Noticing that the hand on her head was gone, she sat up, noticing a man in a white coat pushing away the pirate. His cutlass reflected the scenery around them within it, though his orange-pink eyes were like a sunset.

"Sorry to drop in on your fight. You looked distressed," he said, helping her up. Ruby gave a sigh of relief.

"Don't be sorry. I needed the help," she replied, smiling. The pirate then got back up, regaining his balance as he held the dagger. Though, he didn't last long as a green beam went through his head, the pirate's large body going limp before falling to the ground. Yami and Ruby looked for the source of the shot, spotting Pierre to the left, holding a small ray gun with a prideful grin on his face.

" _Bonjour_!" he waved before letting the ray gun turn back into a little rectangle and stuffing it in his jacket pocket. Yami and Ruby looked at each other and blinked, before Yami darted to the controls of the vehicle and started driving it.

"Alright! Full control of their vehicles! We're rollin'!" Ronin exclaimed, a smile visible through the handkerchief that covered his face. Dareth cheered, the makeshift mask he tied on his face slowly falling apart.

"Great! Let's look for the next island then!" Jay shouted over the whistling wind, smiling beneath his mask. Though, just as he said that the City began to rumble, the day's new routine earthquake shaking the skyscrapers that littered the City. They all watched as a piece of land rose into the sky, a lone delivery truck falling off of it as it ascended.

"There's our chance!" Ashley shouted, Jay immediately pulling on the reins of his dragon to make it fly upward. Those who were running immediately jumped onto the closest vehicle while those who chose to stay behind stopped on one of the buildings. The three vehicles flew upward onto the new island, avoiding any debris from the island along the way. Within a few seconds, they all landed on the top of the island, with only Dareth, Seliel, and the Commissioner missing.

"We're on our way," Jay observed as the island rose above the clouds, the air becoming colder and their ears popping as Nadakhan's new empire came into view. Everyone marveled at the transformed landscapes, a newly built stone temple sitting atop a hill beyond a few small islands. All the positivity in Jay's heart began to slowly disappear as he realized what it was going to be used for, though he said nothing about it. Though, when he turned to look at his new teammates, he could spot scattered glass shards on the land that reflected yellow eyes. Panicking immediately, he kicked the shards away, attracting strange looks from those around him. Noticing the looks, he laughed nervously.

"Uh...spider," he said, not wanting to make them panic, but it didn't prevent the raising of a few eyebrows. The master of lightning sighed, looking back towards the temple. _He knows_.

Avoiding nearby pirates as much as they could while infiltrating the island, the large group copied Jay's moves in each situation, whether it be rolling behind a rock or crawling under a bridge. Some found it hard to keep up though, as Jay was much speedier than most of them. They moved along until the reached a red temple, the building looking quite similar to Yang's Haunted Temple. The master of lightning turned to his teammates as they hid, his mind anxious to see his best friend again.

"Considering this is the biggest building next to that new temple, I'd assume Nya's in there. Please, wait for me here," he told them in a whisper, but Ashley stepped forward.

"I want to go along too. I need to know that she's okay," she said, to which Jay sighed.

"Ashley, we'll ge-" he began, but she spoke over him.

"Let me go instead then. I'm not going to wait for you to carry her back. I want to see her. I won't get caught anyway, I'm just as agile as you."

Jay began to protest, but then sighed. "Fine. Go. Try and bring her back."

Ashley nodded, smiling before she sprinted to the temple and scaled it's walls, remaining undetected. She slid across roofs and climbed up windows until she reached the top, peeking inside. Spotting her beloved almost immediately, she knocked on the window, ignoring the fact that enemies may be with her.

"Ashley?" Nya turned, spotting her in the window. The girl grinned as the master of water opened the window, wrapping her in a hug. "H-How did you get here?"

"Let's just say your dear friend organized a search and rescue party for you," Ashley replied, before staring at the elaborate wedding dress Nya wore, "And damn, I didn't know you looked _that_ good in a wedding dress."

The master of water blushed, staring down at the lacy dress and its extra sleeves. "It was clearly made for a skinnier woman with four arms, but it's okay. The only things I hate is that it's for a wedding I never gave any consent in and the fact that it shows way too much of my...chest."

"I don't think there's anything wrong with the last one," Ashley commented, biting her lip before Nya punched her shoulder, "But yeah, that Nadakhan guy is crappy. I can't wait to knock his teeth out."

"I'd happily watch it," Nya smiled, holding her girlfriend's hand. Just then, a deep voice could be heard outside her door, signifying Nadakhan was here. Panic replaced the light in Nya's eyes almost immediately. "Hide!"

Ashley quickly stepped back onto roof, hiding under it as she listened in to what the Djinn was going to do. She listened to Nya's reluctance to follow him to the wedding chapel, then listened to the lies her girlfriend slipped into, her façade seemingly working with the Djinn.

"How about leaving that big sword here? You're so paranoid about it, and knowing that pesky ninja is still out there, why not hide it in a place he doesn't expect? He _does_ expect it to be with you after all," Nya lied, her tone of voice tricking the Djinn.

"You're right, Delara. Besides, this sword has kept us separated for too long. I'd rather be closer to you," he agreed. Ashley wanted to throw up.

"I'd enjoy that," Nya lied again. The girl listened as they left the room, then climbed into the room, spotting the sword immediately. Grabbing it, she jumped back through the window and rushed back to where the team waited, Jay's eyes widening upon her arrival.

"I couldn't get Nya, but I at least got this. Was this the sword in your story?" she asked. Jay nodded, walking up to it.

"Everyone is inside there," he told her, "...I'm going to get them out."

"How?" Neuro asked, crossing his arms and raising one furry eyebrow. Jay sighed.

"Someone has to hit me with the sword and I'll find a way out. It's not foolproof, but it's worth a shot," he said. Ashley smirked.

"Let me hit you then. It's better than me slapping you for a year's worth of stupid things you've done," she told them. Jay hesitated a moment, then held his hands out to his sides.

"Okay, fine. Come at me," he closed his eye, waiting. It wasn't long before he heard a _swish_ and the feeling of crystal touching his shoulder. His whole body then went numb, and everything went black, all sound disappearing like a ghost.

 _Let it be known that not all good is good, as bad exists in the good, and good exists in the bad. While it's easy to sense these traits in a person, there may be more than meets the eye._


	24. Chapter 24

_The Sword_

Jay opened his eye immediately as he regained all feeling in his body, the scene before him unworldly. People were scattered amongst the anti-gravity of the inside of the sword, green crystals holding them all in place. The master of lightning stared at the numbers of people in horror, before he recalled his objective. Taking a glance at the portal back once, he swam towards the sea of aimless, floating people, spotting his friends amongst the crowd almost immediately. He swam toward them as fast as the anti-gravity could allow, reaching out for the closest person, Cass.

"Cass!" he shouted, his voice just as slow as his swimming. Jay couldn't see if she was awake though, as her wavy brown hair hid her face from his view. He swam over to her, shaking her shoulder and shouting her name three times. It wasn't long before her hair moved to the side, her pine green eyes opened wide in surprise for a moment.

"Help me wake up the others!" Jay told her, pointing at their friends. She nodded, breaking the crystals off her legs and swimming towards Sensei Wu & Misako. Jay went to Kai next, only succeeding in waking him up by furiously shaking him. It seemed that the master of fire couldn't hear, so Jay pointed at the others and made gentle shaking motions, as well as motions to indicate talking to them. He saw Kai nod, then left him.

The master of lightning could now see that Kai and Cass were waking up many, those who were now awake waking others. Seeing as his job was done, he swam over to his Sensei and grabbed his hand. "We need to link up and swim outta here before the portal closes!" he told the old man, who had grabbed Misako's hand. Everyone then started linking up, forming a huge chain. Seeing as it was growing, Jay swam towards the portal, reaching for the shrinking light beyond it.

Nathan's vision was severely blurred, but he could at least tell it was his brother that had woken him. He remembered his brother telling him to grab anyone else he saw in their team so they could get out of the sword. Nodding as his brother connected both of them to the leaving chain, Nathan reached out and grabbed what seemed to be the arm of Jay, though it was bare _. He must have torn his sleeve,_ he thought, watching as a blurred dot grabbed Jay's ankle.

"Hold on, we're about to get outta here," he told him, looking up as the chain of people quickly moved through the portal. He closed his eyes and finally felt Jay's hand grab his arm as they moved. Then, his body went numb, and he only blacked out for a second.

It wasn't long before he was standing on land again, his legs wobbly from not standing for so long. Nathan smiled, looking to his brother, then to the other arm he held in another hand. He turned, looking to see that instead of Jay, it was Alex, who seemed just as surprised. Nathan then screamed, letting go of his arm and backing up into Hunter.

"You're not supposed to be here! I grabbed Jay!" he shouted, to which he was shushed by Ashley.

"Hey, kid. We're in a dangerous spot right now. Tone it down," she told him, paying no attention to the master of psion. The master of water huffed before glaring back at Alex, who shrugged.

"Most of my hair appears dark red in low light because of my natural ombre, sorry. Though, I can't believe you actually saved me from that wretched place," he smiled, to which Nathan made gagging noises. "Aw, come on, Nate. I got you out of prison!"

"Yeah but you left me for dead on Nadakhan's ship!" the master of water shrugged. Alex huffed.

"I had low energy and was shot in the shoulder! Did you really expect me to pull some white knight move and fly in out of nowhere!?" he argued.

"Yes," Nathan replied, crossing his arms. The master of psion scoffed.

"You're so unreasonable!" Alex crossed his arms and pouted, before getting punched in the face by Karma, who had jumped in out of nowhere. The impact of the punch knocked the master of psion to the ground, to which the master of darkness placed a foot on his shoulder.

"What the hell was that for!?" Alex shouted, covering his nose as everyone shushed him again. Karma glared down at him.

"You know why!" she told him. The master of psion sighed.

"Let me guess, because I'm breathing!?" he asked, to which Karma nodded. He gave an annoyed sigh. "Here, I have a present for you then." He raised his other arm up and turned his hand towards Karma, raising one prominent middle finger. "Happy early birthday!"

The master of darkness frowned and stomped on his stomach, Alex coughing and curling into a ball afterwards. "I think it would be wise to stop provoking him, Karma," Lloyd told her, leading her away from him. She huffed, crossing her arms but complying.

Hunter sighed, prying his brother off of him. "We'll deal with him later, as for now, we-" he began to say before his eyes fell on Ruby, who stood nearby. A second passed before they both ran to each other, Ruby tackle-hugging the male master of wind and nearly making him fall over. Nathan grumbled, shielding his eyes from their happy spectacle before he spotted Sammie, who now stood in her gi instead of the striped prison clothes he last saw her in. He darted over to her immediately, repeating what Ruby had done to Hunter, except he actually made Sammie fall over.

Everyone started quietly rejoicing all at once afterwords. Yami and Pierre both accidentally hugged Lilly at the same time, the two men meeting each other for the first time. Zane met Echo, the two androids studying each other's features. Much to everyone's surprise, Griffin Turner, the master of speed, was found next to Alex, having had grabbed the master of psion's ankle. Neuro and Griffin wrapped each other in a hug immediately, Griffin's red sunglasses nearly falling off. Jay was catching Sensei Wu up on what had happened. Cole and Cass smiled, the female master of wind admiring her new gi, Cole having had regained his ghostly form. Though, a depressed look remained on Zane's face, his dear friend Pixal failing to return to his screen. Lilly didn't dare approach Kai, and Kai didn't dare approach her, the turquoise ninja staying near her father while the master of fire remained near Ashley and Jay.

"Alright everyone, we've had our time to rejoice, but we need to keep in mind our objective. If none of my volunteers haven't told you, Nya's been taken and is in that temple down the way, about to be married to Nadakhan!" the master of lightning spoke, catching everyone's attention. He swore his announcement was making embers rise off of Kai's body.

"We can't waste time. We must move! Grab what weapons you can! We're about to crash a wedding!"

Everyone complied, katanas and signature weapons being pulled from their sheaths. Though, the shouts of pirates announced that Jay had been heard, and that infiltration of the white temple wouldn't be easy. "Let's go!" Ashley shouted, twirling her metal bat in her hands before running out from their hiding spot and to the pirates, not hesitating at all.

Everyone followed her, shouting with their weapons raised. Even Neuro and Griffin joined, despite being unarmed. The fights immediately began as soon as Ashley whacked a pirate's head with her bat, pulling out a pistol from beneath her skirt to use as defense as well. Gunshots rang from both sides as pirates spilled onto the landscape by the red temple to protect their beloved captain and his unwilling future wife.

Ronin fought alongside Nathan and Sammie, protecting the two from any oncoming enemies they couldn't see. Echo, Lloyd, Karma, and Zane worked together to fight the enemies as best they could. Cass, Cole, Lilly, and Soto teamed up to fend off the pirates. Hunter, Ruby, Griffin, and Neuro did the same, Ruby and Griffin testing their speed against the pirates. Alex tried to fend off the pirates by himself, only figuring out how easily overwhelmed he could get. He didn't even try to use his powers though, as he did not want to grow tired.

 _Dammit. Why can't this boss guy just give me my piece back!? I wouldn't be stuck in this situation then!_ He pushed a pirate off of him as he thought to himself, using the only claw blade he had left. He regretted not ever asking Marléne for self defense tips while she was still alive. He knew he would have just gotten snapped at anyway. He could only rely on the moves he had seen on television now.

"Hey, you wouldn't happen to have any powers, would you? I've been sensing an energy around you but I only thought it was because I was around the Ninja," Skylor broke in, deflecting a hit with a stolen cutlass. Alex smirked, trying to look like a professional.

"Telekenesis, telepathy, and brainwave manipulation. Need I say more?" he told her, to which she shook her head.

"That's all I needed to know," she said before catching him off guard and grabbing his arm. Pink lines ran up and her hand and beneath her sleeve, confusing the master of psion.

"What are you doing!?" he asked, kicking away another pirate. Skylor let go, a pink aura forming around her hand.

"I'm the master of amber. I just copied your powers and I'm going to put them to use since you weren't using them. Don't freak out though, you still have your powers," she told him, before lifting up a pirate and tossing him into the sky. Alex blinked, brushing off his arm.

"I think that's the first time a woman's touched me since my mother's last day alive," he mumbled.

 _ **Dear god, please don't begin telling a sappy backstory now.**_ The sound if his boss's voice nearly made him screech, startling him. He grumbled and sighed.

 _I'll tell it later just to piss you off._

He smirked to himself, picking up a pirate's lost dagger and trying to fight back as best he could, while Skylor fought with no problem. Though, Alex had to admit he was jealous of how easily she could use his powers without tiring. _Maybe I'd be that powerful had that ball of filth not used me as a guinea pig!_

 _ **Consider it a blessing that you were even chosen.**_

Alex narrowed his eyes at the sound of his boss's voice. He so desperately wanted to say many rude words, but kept himself quiet, not wanting to provoke what happened at the tower again. He instead focused on the fight instead, trying to make himself look cooler than Skylor despite being armed with but a feeble dagger and a nearly busted claw blade.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the fight, Pierre defended himself from an onslaught of pirates, gaining many cuts and bruises in the process. He used the laser pistol he built himself to keep them away, it's charge beginning to decrease the more he shot. "I really wish I put more effort into this," he sighed, the fist of a pirate suddenly catching him off guard and knocking his glasses off his face. Brushing his hair out of his eyes and squinting, he immediately pulled up his pistol, shooting at the blur he believed to be the pirate. "I guess the folk from the sea don't believe in the phrase 'Don't hit a guy with glasses'."

Feeling around on the ground while keeping an eye on the blur, he picked up his glasses, then lunged for the pirate. Pierre swiped at the pirate with his glasses, grinning, "But it's alright to hit a guy _with_ glasses!" Unfortunately, instead of hitting the pirate, he fell over, meeting dirt instead of a body.

"Hold on, Dad!" he heard his daughter shout from across the area, the sound of footsteps pounding the dirt announcing that she was coming to help him. Though, when he looked up, he saw a blur whose colors didn't match the ones that his daughter wore. Watching them impale the pirate with their sword before he put his glasses on, he was met with the sight of Yami kicking the pirate off a cutlass he had picked up, a crack in Pierre's glasses distorting the view. Yami offered a hand to help him up, which Pierre gladly took.

"I noticed he was being unfair with the fight," Yami observed, temporarily sheathing his new cutlass, "Besides, how could I just let the man who created one of the lights in my life be beaten by some dirty pirate?"

Pierre gave a nervous smile as if he had something to say, but remained quiet as he adjusted his glasses. Lilly ran up then, nearly out of breath. "I'm sorry, running through pirates is like trying to break down a brick wall with a tiny hammer," she said, panting, "I'm glad Yamikani was here to help though."

"Yeah, but I don't think the fight is over," Pierre observed, checking the charge on his pistol for a brief moment. Yami and Lilly nodded, looking towards the remaining pirates.

"Let's finish this," Lilly shouted as Yami unsheathed his cutlass. The three of them charged back into the fight, the crack in Pierre's glasses no longer the focus of his worry.

 _5 minutes later (Karma's P.O.V)_

I couldn't help but be anxious every waking moment as we approached the doors to the temple that could possibly ruin everything for us. What if she's already been married to that ugly orange foot!? Are we too late!? Why does everything have to be so difficult!? I sighed as we arrived at the doors, the non-ninja standing back with their weapons.

"We're going to defend the outside and the City below, alright? You guys got this. We believe in you," Skylor smiled, holding Alex back from grouping with us. Hah, good. Keep him away from me.

"Ashley and I are going to stay up here though, seeing as we both have a bone to pick with that Djinn. We won't be very far away," Soto informed us, his half-broken peg leg making him wobble as he tried to stand still. I saw Lloyd nod before they all ran off. He then turned to us.

"Okay everyone, I have a feeling that they've already locked this heavy door and everything, so let's blast it open in the only way we know how!" he told us, determination in his voice. I saw Kai's angry look turn into a determined smirk.

"Fire!" he called out first, flames escaping his hand and engulfing the large door. Embers began to raise from his arm, twirling like ash from burning wood.

"Wind!" Cass and Hunter shouted at the same time, strong gusts pushing at the door. It didn't budge one bit.

"Lightning!" Jay called, beams of electricity shooting from fingertips and beginning to fry sections of the door. It was starting to work!

"Water!" Lilly and Nathan shouted at once, using large waves to push at the door.

"Darkness!" It came my time to shout and I did just so, disguising my lines as my powers and allowing them to enter the door. Good thing Sensei wasn't there to see my use of it. Though, it's better for me to use the Dark Arts. It doesn't make me tired after use like my powers do. It's a great alternative, isn't it?

"Light!" Sammie shouted next to me, using only powerful orbs of light thrown at the door. That won't last long.

"Ice!" Next came Zane and Lilly again, the turquoise-and-black-clad girl using her free hand to form an icy door ram with the android. Though, I noticed that Zane's power was a bit weaker. Did Nadakhan do something to him?

"Earth!" Cole came last, forming a boulder and throwing it, the large rock bursting through and breaking the doors off their hinges. We waited a moment for any approaching enemies before filing in. None of us dared to touch Kai or even get within two feet of him, as embers and heat waves were rising off of him now. Clearly enough, he was in a rage over the abduction of his sister. I could recognize protective sibling anger anywhere. We were then met with pirate laughter and cannonballs from all sides, to which we all dodged. One nearly took my leg with it as I jumped over it. I breathed a sigh of relief once Cass and Hunter blew the assorted pirates away.

Darting for the door once the coast was clear, Kai broke through it, shouting "Knock knock! Who's there!? It's me! The pissed off brother who gave no consent to this marriage and is about to shove this very katana up a certain Djinn's ass!"

The sight of a gun to Nya's head and a pistol to the supposed pastor's head only heightened our anger as we charged in behind Kai. The large woman that threw me off the ship before and a double-faced humanoid jumped in front of us though, their weapons ready. Kai growled, his fists becoming engulfed in flames as he charged for the humanoid, lunging at it. With Cass, I ran towards the large woman, allowing my lines to wrap around her arms and pull her down. I could barely hear the vows that continued over the shouts of everyone, but I could distinctly hear Kai shouting at the top of his lungs.

"OH NO YOU DON'T!" he yelled, jumping into the air and aiming his now flaming sword for Nadakhan's face. Though, it was too late, the vows were done and Nya's forced compliance was to be our downfall. Everything moved in slow motion as the Djinn glowed and Kai fell through the air, his sword set on piercing Nadakhan. The Djinn was ready though, as he turned around and aimed the pistol for the red-clad ninja. Kai had realized too late that his life was in danger.

A shot rang out, the small bullet piercing Kai's leg before another shot rung, the next bullet lodging itself between his arm and shoulder. Everyone, including Nya and I, watched in horror as he tumbled to the ground, his sword clattering on the opposite side of him. I watched his sister cover her mouth and make a tiny shriek as he struggled to get up, the Djinn now picking up Kai and throwing him to us. Lilly immediately ran up and caught him, breaking the invisible glass wall that separated them. Nadakhan smirked.

"I knew you'd want that piece of filth back. It disgusts me to even know he's my brother-in-law now," he sneered, to which the turquoise ninja glared at him. Nya whipped her head around immediately, facing Nadakhan. Please, Nya, do something.

"No! You are NOT treating my brother that way!" she shouted, pulling the ring that was forced onto her finger off and crushing it in her fist, "I am NOT your wife nor your true love! I'm the woman who should be kicking you ass!"

She went to throw a punch, but Nadakhan's words interrupted her movement, "I wish you were really Delara!" Nya froze in midair, all hope I had before fading away like fog in bright sunlight. I watched her eyes become a sickening green and her tan skin become paler as she transformed into the Delara that Nadakhan knew, my teammate and once best friend losing her large body shape and tall height. She finally unfroze, Nya now looking more like a stereotypical female superhero instead of the girl I once knew.

I heard a sharp intake of air before hearing Jay shout "I wish Nadakhan wasn't a Dj-" the Djinn countered by wishing that he couldn't speak. Immediately, a titanium seal appeared over Jay's mouth, the master of lightning desperately pulling on it. I decided to strike next, calling upon my intricate lines to help me. Using them like marionette strings with no object to control, I jumped into the air and swung them at Nadakhan, who swiped them away with no trouble. I froze, watching them shatter. No, no, no!

"I wish the bullets that had struck the brother also struck you!" he shouted, an orange aura erupting before I felt pains in my arm and my leg. I yelped, falling over and curling up on the ground. I felt someone's hand rest on my shoulder as a few footsteps approached the scene. The sound of wood clacking against stone telling me Soto and Ashley were coming.

"My dear, why don't you try the wish we both have in mind," a deeper, more sultry voice replaced Nya's voice, the green aura still evident in my friend's eyes. This reminds me an awful lot of the events from last year.

"Ah, yes, thank you Delara," he smiled, before looking at us, "I wish the wishing rules no longer existed!"

A deep fear seeped into my gut, making me sick to my stomach as I realized what he could do now, my heart pounding against my ribcage and telling me to run. My leg ached in protest, telling me to stay still. I was truly scared, panic rising in my throat and daring to make me scream. "Nadakhan!" I heard Soto shout, the old pirate barging through the crowd and charging for the Djinn. The smirk on Nadakhan's face made me panic.

"Soto, NO!" I shouted, just as Nadakhan opened his mouth.

" _I wish Captain Soto was just bones and dust!"_

The pirate captain froze where he stood, then his body convulsed, his skin beginning to shrivel and tighten. I stared in horror as his skin flaked and fluttered to the ground, first in pieces before falling by the millions. His eye and organs became dried dust, and all that remained were his worn pirate garb and his bones. I placed a hand over my mouth, hoping to god that this was a nightmare. It had to be. Someone can't have this much power! It's impossible!

 _Don't lose yourself over this!_

I ignored the voice, finally gaining the strength to sit up and stare in horror at the human dust mass on the floor. I couldn't help but remember a time from a year ago, though blood spilled then instead of dust. Despite not knowing Soto very well, I couldn't help but feel upset. I heard someone curse nearby, spotting Ashley nearby, the owner of the curse. Nadakhan's eyes locked on her, and I felt my blood stop cold in my veins.

"ASHLEY, RUN!" I screamed, struggling to my feet as Nadakhan spoke again.

" _I wish the suitor girl was impaled by a sword!"_

I covered my eyes, not wanting to see the sight before me, but the sound of silence told me that something wasn't right. I uncovered my eyes, first greeted with the great sight that no harm was done to Ashley, but when I turned, I froze. Before us all, Jay stood shaking, a sword impaling his abdomen. He was panting, but the metal plate made it hard for me to tell what his expression was. He continued to stand though, not falling over.

Jay swiped at the air and electrocuted Nadakhan with his powers before turning and pushing everyone out the door, Lloyd looping my arm over his shoulder and assisting me out. I was still frozen, the sights before my eyes earlier now burned into my brain. I...couldn't help them. I couldn't help them like how I couldn't help Mom and Luo! This realization stung me, a lump forming in my throat as we all hid from Nadakhan's view.

Jay didn't dare remove the sword from his abdomen as he leaned on Zane, blood staining his suit just like Kai's and mine. Kai was the only one who had thought to cover up his wounds though. Lloyd looked at everyone, allowing me to lean on his shoulder. Ashley still held Nadakhan's sword, filling me with relief.

"We need to organize a plan, but first, who has the venom?" Lloyd asked, to which Jay withdrew the vial from his belt. Relief washed across the Green Ninja's face. "Great, but we don't have any guns. How are we supposed to hit him with it?"

"I can always infuse it with my powers. It will surely hit him," Nathan volunteered. Lloyd paused for a moment, then nodded.

"And Sammie and I can back him up from the air using Airjitzu!" Hunter added. Kai raised an eyebrow.

"But you two have never used it," he pointed out. Hunter shrugged.

"It's still possible that we can use it though. It's just spinjitsu in middair, right?" Sammie asked, tucking her hair behind her ear. I shrugged.

"She isn't wrong," Cass said, looking at Lloyd. He nodded.

"Okay then, we can cover distracting him then. As for Jay, Kai, and Karma, if you guys have the strength then join us. If not, please find a hiding spot and heal yourself. It sounds stupid but with everyone else on the ground below it's our only choice," Lloyd told us all, glancing at the injured. We nodded.

"I can do it," I said, to which Kai and Jay nodded as well. The Green Ninja gave a worried look for a moment, the nodded.

"Okay, it's settled. Let's go get that slimy jerk!"

 _He_ _is not the rightful owner of the power, but no one knows._

 _No one but the rightful owner knows._


	25. Chapter 25

Making sure Nadakhan's "pastor" and two bodyguards were gone, we charged back into the room with Nathan, Hunter and Sammie trailing in the back. I enabled the lines again while charging an orb, thinking that if I used two different kinds of power it would catch him off guard. No one suspects a double-power user anyways. Though, something told me this quick plan would go wrong. I ignored my gut feeling though, watching as Zane lead us all.

We all split, all of us aiming for Nadakhan at once as Jay tossed the venom to Nathan under our cover. The Djinn smirked as Delara held onto one of his arms, sharing his smirk. "I wish sharp thorns would rain down upon you all!"

We ran, pinching pains beginning to spark on my back. "Why don't you just wish for us to die!? It's much easier!" Cass shouted, pushing both Nadakhan and Delara with a gust of wind. The thorns stopped immediately.

"Perhaps because I wish to punish those who had interrupted my blessed day. I want you all to feel the punishing pain, and I want this pain to carry on to your reincarnations when I do kill you!" Nadakhan's yellow eyes were wide, "But of course, what am I saying? I'm sure someone else has already cursed your future reincarnates for eternity!"

The onslaught continued, one wishing injuring one or more of us. Jay was beginning to become pale as he fought as best he could. Nathan didn't use the venom yet, and in fact stayed hidden with Hunter and Sammie now. The pain in my arm and leg only grew as I tried to stay on my feet. Everyone within Nadakhan sight was bleeding, and my mind was starting to make me feel hopeless.

"When is Nathan going to use that venom!? We've been fighting forever!" Cole asked, the only one without a scratch on him.

"He's probably waiting for us all to get out of the way. The venom can kill a human with one drop after all," I told him as I tried to stand, my sleeve and pantleg semi-soaked in blood. I'm starting to feel drowsy. I watched Cass and Zane begin to try and trap Nadakhan again. With their previous attempts being unsuccessful, I would have thought they would have stepped back, but it looked like Zane had another plan.

Though, as they tried to freeze the Djinn, a boulder flew through the room and crushed him against the wall. All of us stopped in place, looking at Cole, but he put his hands up. "It wasn't me," he told us truthfully, so we looked to the door, where the person I loathe the mist stood, his now bandaged hands and arms shoved in his jean pockets. He looked tired and his orange hair nearly covered his eyes. His usual weird smile wasn't on his face.

"I didn't know it would take you all _this_ long to kill a Djinn. Just dump the venom on him," Alex said, the nearly transparent pink aura he had enveloped the boulder in disappearing. I huffed, rising to my feet.

"Well, for your information, Nadafugly wished that the wishing rules didn't apply anymore so now we're gonna die!" I shouted. Alex raised an eyebrow.

"Doesn't that mean those who still have wishes can wish for Nadakhan's death in retaliation?" he asked. I hated him for thinking of something I didn't. I could hear knocking on the boulder.

"He'll just twist our words around!" Cass argued.

"If he twists your words shouldn't he twist his own when he wishes?" Alex asked, to which he got confused stares and silence. He sighed and shook his head. "Nevermind, who still has wishes?"

Hunter raised his hand and so did Sammie and Nathan from where they hid. Despite having one last wish, Jay didn't raise his hand, the titanium plate over his mouth a clear indicator of why. I felt sorry for him. "Great, that makes six wishes then. We've got this!" Alex's determined smile finally returned, though, his pride in success distracted him from what happened next.

Shouting a wish from beneath the boulder, the rock flew forward, back at the very person who had thrown it. Alex turned at the last minute as the boulder rocketed towards him, the rock nearly touching his nose before a large figure caught it. She growled before heaving it to the side, her caramel-colored braids tumbling back to the sides of her shiny, blue, reptilian face. I had just now realized it was the woman who threw me off the ship, though her facemask was gone. Why is she helping us!?

"You know, the woman you manipulated taught me something not too long ago," the slits in her eyes focused on Nadakhan and "Delara", the Djinn looking outraged, "And it's that I should think for myself for a change!"

Dogshank picked up the rock again and threw it at Nadakhan. He dodged it though and glared at her. "Dogshank! What's the meaning of this!?"

"Now!" Alex shouted, before running in front of Dogshank and pointing one bandaged hand at the Djinn, "I wish Nadakhan could no longer speak!"

A metal plate now appeared over Nadakhan's mouth, the Djinn madly pulling at it. "Delara" turned and glared at Alex, darting towards him as Hunter and Sammie took the opportunity to begin their attacks. Sammie ran up one wall as "Delara" tackled Alex and tried to strangle him, the master of psion trying to curl into a ball so he could kick her off. "What did you do to my husband!?" the woman shouted, grabbing Alex's nose instead of his throat.

"Pacified him like the spoiled crybaby he is! You're welcome!" he shouted, finally kicking her off of him. At this time, Sammie jumped from the wall, spinning in midair until an Airjitzu tornado formed around her, her gi transforming to become like ours. She then turned to Nadakhan and let a bright flash erupt before him, blinding him. Hunter then ran up the wall and jumped, doing the same and unlocking his gi. We all immediately moved out of the way as we heard glass smash and the sound of waves.

Hunter remained suspended in midair with his Airjitzu as he used wind to guide Nathan's deadly waves towards Nadakhan. The Djinn was hit with the venomous waves full force, the originally brown venom becoming a neon green as it came in contact with his skin. He doubled over, the metal plates upon both his and Jay's mouths fading. I could suddenly no longer feel pain. Were his wishes reversed by the venom? I smiled, victory evident in our future. We're going to beat him! All we have to do is capture him!

Though, as Nathan's waves subsided, I noticed something unusual. Someone was missing. My mind was blank at the moment on who it could be, and I knew I was sure that we had the same number of people that we had when we started. Though, I soon found out as she rose, the nasty venom staining her now tan skin.

Nya was back to her normal form, but a venom splatter rested on her chest. I saw Nathan clasp his hands over his mouth, his eyes wide like everyone else's. A tiny shriek came from Ashley, who nearly collapsed against me. Kai could only look on in denial, and denial was the only thing I found within his eyes.

"Wh-what is... ?" Nya asked, before coughing and falling to her knees. Ashley rushed over to her immediately, first hitting Nadakhan over the head with her bad before cradling Nya. The rest of us followed, my heart only filled with dread. We can't lose Nya. We can't!

"It's okay, it's okay. You'll be alright. It's just...paint...ahaha...paint," Ashley laughed nervously, denial within her eyes as well. It was if we all were disregarding Nadakhan now. Well, except Alex, who only knew Nya as one of the women who kicks his ass probably. Nya shook her head, resting a hand on Ashley's cheek.

"You're all beat up...I'd...kiss those cuts away if I could," Nya croaked, brushing a thumb on Ashley's cheek. It hurt. _This is what recklessness does to people, Seiko. That Nathan boy did it on purpose. He wanted to eliminate those who didn't make him unique._ I ignored the voice again, though I couldn't help but suspect that what was said could be true. I really don't know Nathan that well after all. For all I know he could be hiding many things.

"Girl, you have...three wishes. Why not wish me mortal so you can have your revenge? Or...you can wish her well and let me escape. Though, it us known I have a history for twisting words," Nadakhan grinned, trying to rise, "I know you're a very wrathful girl. Why not take out your frustrations and grief on what you wish for? You can make as many people comatose as you wish!"

Ashley clutched one of Nya's hands as the master of water's eyes began to flutter. Nya's other hand now rested in her brother's, who looked to Ashley with hope. It seemed that everyone forgot that Hunter, Sammie, Nathan, and Alex still had wishes. Typical logic, right? Despite this all though, I felt upset for Nya. "Ashley," the female master of water's voice broke the silence, "Just stop him. Don't worry about me. I'll be okay."

"No, I'm not losing you!" Ashley argued, tears beginning to spill from her eyes. I saw Alex look at this scene like he was watching a soap opera he had no interest in. Screw you too, Debbie.

"Ash," Nya smiled, "Do you believe in destiny?" Ashley froze, then nodded. "Then let destiny takes it's path. My life was meant to be a tragedy. Bad luck only plagued me, and now it's finally gotten the best of me."

"No...don't say that!" Ashley cried as Nadakhan gave a bored look, a black eye forming on the right side of his face. I watched as Nya's eyelids lowered, a small smile still on her face.

"Goodnight, Ash. I'll see you when I see light again," she whispered, before her eyes closed, her skin now paler than it was before. The hand that Kai held now trembled, but it wasn't from her own will. Her brother's hands shook as he tried to keep himself under control, but tears spilled relentlessly, the master of fire beginning to crack as he his his face with his hands. Nathan was still frozen, his mouth still covered by his hands. He looked horrified now, his eyes beginning to water.

Ashley sniffed, wiping her eyes as Nadakhan rose. It seemed she held her emotions in better than Kai. She spoke before the Djinn did though, her hand still clutching Nya's. "I changed my mind," she spoke softly, before raising her voice, "I don't believe in destiny, and I don't believe your life has to end in tragedy! I'll make good luck come to your life!"

She turned around, picking up the Sword and pointing at Nadakhan. "I wish for Nya to live again!"

The Djinn nodded, struggling as an orange aura surrounded Nya for a brief moment before she awoke again, her brown eyes meeting light once again. Ashley smiled, sliding back to her side with a smile. Kai finally uncovered his face, revealing eyes that were almost becoming red from crying. He looked relieved now, happiness evident in his eyes again. "Thank god," Ashley breathed, resting her head against Nya's. The female master of water blinked.

"I'm...?" she looked down at her chest, where the venom originally rested. Her skin was clear of it now. Ashley smiled.

"Yes, you're alive again. I decided to defy destiny just once, just so I could hear your voice again. I wasn't going to let it take you away from me," she told her. Nya looked surprised before smiling and kissing her. Nadakhan then cleared his throat.

"Did you forget that I'm still here, _Delara_?" he spoke up, gaining a glare from Nya.

"Nope! None of us did!" Alex shouted, running up and pushing him into the wall with his powers, "That's for shooting my shoulder!"

"I'm not the one who took the shot," Nadakhan croaked. The master of psion shrugged.

"I'm like a schoolteacher, okay? I punish the whole class for everything," he said, before tossing Nadakhan onto the floor with his powers. "He's all yours!"

Ashley nodded, handing the sword to Nya, who grinned. "Show him who's boss," the girl smiled as the female master of water approached the Djinn. She stopped right next to him, staring down at him.

"Happy honeymoon, _dear,_ " she smiled before hitting him with the sword, the Djinn becoming but an orange ball and entering the sword. Nya then threw it aside, spinning in a spinjitzu tornado until her gi replaced her wedding dress. I felt relieved now, though the remains of Soto nearby still scarred me. That was disturbing.

We all cheered, rejoicing at the sight of Nadakhan's defeat. Though, Alex stood aside, looking off elsewhere. I expected him to ask if he could finally be one of us, but instead he walked off, resting both hands on the back of his neck. I shrugged, hugging Lloyd. The bastard probably already knew our response. Maybe now he'll finally leave us alone. Though, when I went to fetch the sword, I noticed it was no longer there.

"Don't worry about it," Jay told me, "It probably disintegrated on itself or something."

I hesitated a moment, then nodded, following the others out of the damaged temple. I still windered what had happened though, not suspecting anyone but nature now.

We were met with cheers below once we returned, those who had helped us earlier running to greet us. It seemed that they didn't even notice Soto was gone, which made me feel upset a bit. Was he that forgettable? Or do they think he ran off on his own like Alex did? The image of all that shriveled skin on the floor still made me shiver. What a horrific way to go.

Looking around at those who rejoiced, I noticed that Nathan looked more nervous than happy now. I first believed it to be because Sammie was hugging him, but then I remembered how Nathan would nearly melt if she so much as stood next to him. Is he still upset over what happened at the temple? I hope he doesn't think it was his fault. It all was just a small accident that was fixed in a dramatic but fast way. Keep this between you and me, but deep down I felt all that drama was unnecessary. Am I becoming an asshole now or something?

I watched Ruby tackle hug Hunter again, who nearly fell over. I really wondered how a girl as small as her could almost knock over a guy as tall as Hunter. Is it physics? I'm shorter than Ruby but I can't knock over Lloyd, who's shorter than Hunter. Is it sorcery? It would explain why she's able to almost run as fast as Griffin Turner.

"Well, since the police are on everything now, what do you say to heading over to the bakery?" I heard the red-clad girl ask. Hunter patted his suit.

"I...don't think this gi has pockets. How am I supposed to pay for it?" he asked. Ruby smiled a pulled a few dollars from her hoodie pocket.

"I got it," she told him.

"Are you sure? I don't wanna be the jerk who has you pay for it all," he asked, to which she nodded and grabbed his sleeve.

"Come on!" I giggled as I watched them go, the sadness from earlier slowly fading. I didn't rejoice with anyone because I didn't need to, and my surroundings gave me enough joy. My friends were happy again, and that's all that mattered to me. Nya was alive, Jay was no longer bleeding, and we weren't trapped in that god awful sword anymore. Though, I couldn't help but notice that Zane was the only one who didn't look even the least bit happy. I approached him, wondering what happened.

"Is everything okay Zane?" I asked, tapping the android on the shoulder. He turned to look at me, his exterior colder than it usually was. He sighed.

"The wishes everyone else had were reversed after the third wish, but my wishes were not. Pixal is still gone. I have not seen her since Nadakhan erased her from my system," his glowing blue eyes looked at the ground as he spoke. I frowned, feeling sorry for him. I never knew Pixal that well, but I could understand she was someone important to Zane, just as Luo was important to me. The nightmare from my wish still haunts me.

"Could Cyrus rebuild her?" I asked him, to which he shook his head.

"No. If he rebuilds her, her systems will be different, therefore she will not be the Pixal I once knew. It will just be another gynoid with her face and voice," he told me. I gave a sympathetic look. That really is rough.

"I'm really sorry, Zane. I wish I could do something," I said. He shook his head.

"Everything is fine. I just need to be alone," Zane sighed, before walking away. I still wished I could have done something to help him. Losing Pixal can't be easy for him at all. I felt a hand rest on my shoulder as the android walked away. I already knew the owner was Lloyd purely by the appearance of his green sleeve. Honestly, the age difference between us still bothered me, but I decided to address it later.

"Is he going to be okay?" Lloyd asked me, his eyecolors mismatched now. His eyes need to stop being mesmerizing. I sighed and nodded.

"He's going to need time alone. He lost Pixal," I informed the Green Ninja as I brushed my hair out of my face. How I hate wearing it down, but everyone says I look cuter this way. I want my ribbon back.

Lloyd frowned. "No solution to get her back?"

I shook my head, staring at assorted wreckage within the street. Their fight down here must not have been a cake walk. Though, neither was ours. Upon thinking of our battle, I thought of the Sword. It couldn't have disintegrated, could it?

"Do you have any idea where Nadakhan's sword went?" I asked Lloyd. He shrugged.

"I would have thought Alex stole it but his hands were empty when he left," he recalled.

"Yeah, but he can lift things with his mind," I reminded him.

"True, but I don't see what he'd want with it. We already know how to destroy it," Lloyd said, to which I agreed. Alex was a hard person to figure out anyway. One moment he'll want to kill you and the next he'll want to form an alliance. I don't think I'll even ask why he's this way.

"Well, we should go get the Bounty...since we kind of left it up there," Lloyd said, looking up at the clouds and what remained of Djinjago. I sighed.

"Yeah...if pirates haven't looted and vandalized it that is."

 _His_ _lies have hidden him for a year. When will his lies finally expose him?_


	26. Chapter 26

_Two days later, The Destiny's Bounty, 2:34 pm_

We were surprised to find our belongings untouched the day we regained the ship we call home. Nothing was damaged nor was anything dirty. It was as if the ship was cleaned instead of looted. I was even surprised to find money I had stuffed under my mattress untouched as well. I guess the pirates weren't as greedy as I believed...maybe. Maybe they didn't even know the Bounty was here. That would be more believable.

Over the course of two days, I broke up with Lloyd purely for the age gap deal. He understood though, saying that I should make sure I'm comfortable first. It isn't over forever though. I'll probably ask him out again when he's 18. As for now, we're best friends, and if we find someone else that's okay too. We aren't bound to each other for eternity after all, though sometimes the thought of that seems semi nice.

Sammie and Nathan made their relationship official, though the poor boy can't stop blushing crazily. Though, I know despite that good news, something's bothering Nathan. I can just tell by how he acts when he thinks he's alone. I wonder if it's Nya's accidental "death" that pecks at him, or maybe it's something else. I hope he doesn't beat himself up too much over it. Mistakes happen.

Other than those and Lilly and Kai's avoidance of each other, everything has functioned normally. The voice left me alone for a day, but it has popped back into my mind today, pointing out every suspicious flaw my friends make. At this point, I really am wondering if I'm aligned with the right people. Every now and then, it seems like I'm not. Perhaps I really am blind to the world.

Lilly stared up at the ceiling as I did today, silence between us both before she decided to sit up, her expression indecisive for a moment. "I really should apologize," she sighed, resting her chin on her knees. I raised an eyebrow. What?

"For what?" I asked, sitting up now.

"You know, the fight between Kai and I. I really should apologize for running off like that. Maybe we wouldn't have been picked off so easily if I just stayed," she reminded me. I looked at her as if she were crazy.

"Why apologize for something that wasn't your doing!? It's obviously Kai's fault! I don't even understand why you're giving him a second chance anymore!" I grumbled, to which Lilly looked away and rose to her feet.

"Both me and him are at fault here, Karma. We both did something that we must apologize for," she told me, "Besides, everyone deserves a second chance. Even those we view as evil."

She left me then, the silence afterwards letting her words sink in. _Everyone deserves a second chance, even those we view as evil._ Could I actually give my uncle a second chance perhaps? Maybe Sensei Wu? Maybe...(even though it makes me shiver in disgust)...I could give Alex a second chance? I mean, he is becoming...better I guess. No...I'd rather not.

 _Forgiveness is for the weak, Seiko. In this world, you must move ahead and destroy. Forgiveness will only waste your time on your path to domination._

 _(Lilly's P.O.V.)_

First checking the deck to see if he was out cleaning, Lilly approached Kai's door, hesitating to knock. Should I? she though, before giving a light rap on the door. She waited a moment before the door opened, Kai with his disheveled hair standing on the other side. She began to sweat out of nervousness. _What if this doesn't go well?_

"We need to talk," Lilly told him. Kai snapped out of his slightly surprised look, nodding and stepping aside. She walked into his room, quietly shutting the door. She then waited a moment before speaking, making sure that he wanted to speak last. "Listen," the turquoise ninja finally spoke, "I'm...really sorry for running away that night. Our situation was dangerous and I was careless. I-"

"Lilly, you had every right to run away. I was a huge ass that night and it shouldn't be you apologizing, it should be me," he interrupted her, looking guilty, "I'm sorry for even saying that, but I could say sorry a thousand times and still feel like I haven't apologized enough. I shouldn't have said it all, and I wish I could go back to that night and change it all. I'm the one who put you in danger."

"No, I'm the one who ran away and I feel like you had the right to call me that. I was being very rude and harsh that even-"

"No, you didn't deserve to be called that!" Kai spoke over her again, looking more upset with himself, "Lilly, I don't know what kind of sick person twisted your head to make you think it's your fault, but either way it's my fault. I compared you to someone who's hurt you a lot and I can't ever be forgiven for that! Just...break up with me already! It's obvious I'll only hurt you at this point because I can't control my anger! Just...leave me already."

Lilly stood in silence for a moment before stepping towards Kai, her expression upset but sympathetic. "No...I won't leave you," she told him, to which Kai stared at her in confused surprise, "Though my mother has burned me on every second chance I gave her, I know you're much more trustworthy than her. Kai, I know you're a different person deep down, and that sometimes you let the rage you bottle up get the best of you, but nonetheless I know who you are. Nya knows who you are, and I know you aren't the kind of man you were that night."

"No, Lilly...stop. I keep messing up. Just...giv-"

"I'm not the kind of woman to give up, Kai, nor are you the kind of man to give up," she interrupted him, "I know you're better than what you were that night, and I'm willing to help you stop bottling your emotions. I still love you, and I'm not going to let your mistake from that night make me stop. Will I forget it? No. Will I forgive it? Yes. We all mistakes, Kai."

"I don't understand why you're giving me a second chance," Kai sniffed, his eyes watering, "I'm a jerk, an asshole, whatever you want to call me! Why do you even still stick around me?"

Lilly sighed, looking down at the floor before looking up in his eyes. "Because the day I first became a ninja you were the first person outside of Xavier and Yami to show me kindness. You were another example of how the world wasn't as scary as I though it was. That day I first met you, I saw something within your eyes. Something that told me you were more than your arrogant exterior. As much as I wanted to deny it, I fell in love with what I saw in your eyes and tried to hide it as much as I could...but as you can see my attempts to hide it were fruitless."

She smiled as he was speechless, placing a hand on his shoulder. "And to this day, I still see it in your eyes. The glimmer from the day I first met you, it's still there. It's just done a good job at hiding."

Kai sniffed again, tears now streaming from his eyes. He acted as though he didn't know they were there though, until the tears became bigger and he hid his face again, just as he had done during his sister's "death". Lilly wrapped her arms around his torso, hugging him as he sobbed. It's the first time she had ever seen him break down like this in the time she had known him. _My words must have cracked open the glass bottle that held all of his emotion._

"I'm sorry," he cried again, burying his head in her shoulder. Lilly nodded, patting his back.

"It's alright, okay? Just, promise me to never keep it all bottled up again," she told him, pulling away. Kai nodded, wiping his eyes.

"Promise me something, too," he requested, his voice becoming less shaky, "Don't bottle yourself up either. I know you do the same,"

Caught off guard, Lilly looked surprised for a moment, then nodded. "I think it's about time I stopped hurting myself like that."

Kai nodded, then wiped his eyes again, hesitant to even rest a hand on her shoulder. "Do...y-"

"Yes, I still love you...you silly porcupine," she smiled, cupping his cheek with her hand. He smiled too now.

"And I still love you...you weird tomato," he said, the both of them giggling. Kai then hesitated again, as if he were unsure to do something.

"...Could I-?"

"Just do it," Lilly smiled, before the gap between them closed. Kai's lips met hers, and she almost felt as if she were at the train station again. She could almost feel the cold wind again and the scarf that hid her face from the elements. Two years may not be far to some, but to her it was nostalgia she had not felt in forever. It made her feel like an old woman recalling her teenage days.

 _Don't let this moment end, ever. Please._

 _Stiix Harbor, Alleyway, 11:56 pm_

Alex trudged down the alleyway with the sword he stole from Nadakhan's temple dragging along the wooden ground, his hood hiding his tired face from those who had passed him before. He cursed with each step until he believed he was in a safe place, studying the sword for a moment before recalling his objective.

 _So he lied about being in Astor City. Great. Really shows me how trustworthy he is,_ he thought to himself, staring at his reflection in the crystalline blade. Slight dark circles were forming under his eyes and his hair was drooping now, it's red-to-light-orange fade interrupted by the dirt and sand that was caught in his hair. He cursed his boss for making him travel to Stiix mostly on foot. A bruise was now evident on his right cheek, a mark he gained from Karma the day he got the sword. He cursed her as well, rubbing his cheek.

"Let's get this over with," he whispered to himself before raising the sword and hitting himself on the head with it's blade. He quickly then shut his eyes, not wanting to see the spinning imagery for a second time. He waited until he could feel his limbs again before opening his eyes and seeing the world of green crystals again. Knowing he was being timed, he quickly searched for a man wearing a crimson hood, ignoring those who didn't match the description.

Within a few seconds, he spotted the crimson hood belonging to his boss and swam after him, getting frustrated with the slow anti-gravity as he moved. He pushed an unconscious woman out of the way, her dark, wavy hair reminding him of someone he had seen before. He ignored it though, his eyes locked on his boss. After a few more seconds of swimming, he grabbed his boss by the hood and swam back to the portal, keeping his eyes open for Nadakhan.

He reached the portal in no time, spotting Nadakhan trying to swim upwards below as he pushed his boss through the portal. Seeing as it was closing, Alex stuck his tongue out at the Djinn before pushing himself through the portal, his body becoming numb for a few seconds until he felt the splintery wood of the Stiix alleyways again. He jumped to his feet immediately, dusting himself off before turning to face the hooded man he called his boss. A gentle rain was falling as they stood there, common weather for Stiix that time of year.

"You filthy liar," Alex spoke finally, smiling, "You said you were in Astor City."

He couldn't see his boss's face, but could only imagine his expression. "I have to keep secrets sometimes. I didn't want you to get all heroic and try to save me."

The master of psion snickered. "No, I wouldn't have done that at all. You truly don't know me."

His boss snickered back. "That's true, but you don't know me either. The only thing I know about you is that you want to make a utopia and what you know about me is that I want to control the world too," he said, "We could always become teammates though, like a president and a vice president."

"I already agreed to that," Alex reminded his boss, "What I want to know is what your plan is and why you're making me use telepathy to transport your messages to the master of darkness. Are you being some sort of creeper or something?"

"She's the only other person I know who can control her powers with the Dark Arts," his boss informed him, "Besides, we go way back."

"Just who are you?" Alex asked, staring at the silhouette beneath the hood. His boss shifted, before swiping his hand and allowing snakelike purple line to shoot out of the ground and make a barrier above him to block the rain. Once he was sure he was safe, his boss pulled off his hood, revealing translucent green skin, greasy black hair pulled back in a ponytail, and sharp purple eyes that stared daggers at whoever they fell upon. It took Alex a moment to realize who he was.

"I'm Clouse Zheng, more formerly known as Chen Amjad's right-hand man and a master of the Dark Arts," he introduced himself, "I'm Karma's uncle and the once who _should_ be leading her."

Alex blinked, then smiled, placing a hand on his hip. "Anything else?"

Clouse gave a bit of an annoyed look. "What?"

"Come on! Your only plan can't just be to lead your niece," Alex looked just as peeved as Clouse. The man sighed.

"You'll see, in time. For now, let's just focus on what I want," he said, "but I promise you that in time, you will get what you want."

Alex's smile returned, believing him.

"Great. When do we start?"

 **A/N: Holy mama meatball guys, I can't believe there's four volumes and this series and none of y'all are annoyed with my oc stories yet. Anyways, thank you for sticking around for volume 4! I do want to say that volume 5 is indeed the LAST story I will ever write for this series. Yes, all things must come to an end, and I don't want to write this forever as great as it sounds.**

 **Anyways, I'm also going to improve volume 1's writing during this time and fix several plot holes that have bugged me since the beginning. I'm also going to fix some writing in Volume 2 and 3...so yeah, a whole lot of writing!**

 **Anyways, thanks again and I'll see you guys again when Volume 5 arrives! ^^**


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